Arrogant ANC councillor ousted after telling thirsty residents to keep their votes

An ANC councillor in Ward 109 in Lovu, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, has been dethroned in the 2026 local government elections, according to a video shared on social media. The clip, which was posted as a news update, shows the former councillor and is accompanied by the claim that he once told residents complaining about water challenges to get lost with their votes. The clip has not been independently verified, and the ward result should be confirmed by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) before it is treated as final.

Ward councillors occupy a particularly direct role in local government. Under the Municipal Structures Act, ward councillors are elected by voters in a specific ward and are expected to act as the link between residents and the municipal council. They take complaints about water outages, sewage spills, potholes and electricity faults to officials, report back on progress and sit on council committees that help shape service delivery. Because of this closeness, a ward councillor’s conduct is often judged personally by residents, who can see whether their concerns are being taken seriously.

Water has been one of the most pressing problems in eThekwini, a metro that covers Durban and surrounding townships and peri-urban areas. Residents in many wards have reported prolonged interruptions to supply, burst pipes left unrepaired for weeks and sewage spills that affect homes and rivers. For families who rely on municipal water, these failures are not abstract. They affect hygiene, cooking, schooling and the cost of buying water from tankers or neighbours. When a councillor is seen to dismiss such complaints, the anger can quickly turn into a broader question of whether the party in charge cares about its voters.

If the claim is accurate, it would illustrate a pattern that many voters have described across the country. Communities often feel that they are asked to vote during election season and then ignored afterwards. Ward councillors who fail to respond to complaints can lose the trust of residents, and that loss can be decisive at the ballot box, particularly in wards where people have grown used to waiting years for basic repairs. The outcome in Lovu may therefore be read by many as a verdict on how the ward was served, rather than only as a result of party loyalty.

The ANC, like other parties, will need to address the underlying issues if it wishes to win back support in similar areas. Political parties often point to budget constraints, ageing infrastructure and capacity shortages in municipalities as reasons for slow service delivery. Those factors are real and widely acknowledged, but residents tend to judge a councillor by responsiveness and respect. A councillor who listens, follows up and explains what the municipality is doing can often retain support even when problems take time to fix.

As results are finalised and new councillors take their seats, residents across eThekwini will be watching whether the incoming representatives deliver on their promises. The Lovu case, whatever the final details prove to be, underlines the importance of how public office holders speak to the communities they are meant to serve.

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