Umamah Bakharia
04:11:2021

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is set to announce the local government results later today.

However, there are some questions on whether service delivery will improve in communities that have voted in certain parties. 

Executive Director Amnesty International South Africa’s Shenilla Mohamed spoke to Radio Islam on why the organisation believes service delivery should be a priority for ward councillors. 

Although Amnesty International is not a political organisation, they believe that government should be held accountable for not upholding basic human rights such as clean water, housing, education etc. 

Commenting on the election results released today, Shenilla says: “We [Amnesty International] don’t care what party comes in, but whoever comes in now has to do what they have been put in office to do.” 

She adds that a low voter turnout is an indication that South African’s are tired and angry of the service in the country as their right to essential services has been violated. 

“Service delivery is a right, not a privilege,” she says. 

Shenilla ends off: “we need to demand that these officials remain accountable to us as taxpayers and as the people of South Africa.”

[LISTEN] to the podcast here