South Africans will vote in local government elections tomorrow, giving political parties and independent candidates another opportunity to make commitments about services in their communities. Campaign promises about water, sanitation, refuse removal and municipal roads deserve scrutiny, but residents also have evidence from the outgoing councils' terms to consider. The question is not only what candidates intend to do after the election, but what local government has accomplished with the resources and authority already available to it.

The Auditor-General's assessment of the 2024/25 municipal audits provides a troubling measure of that record. Of the municipalities assessed, 145, or 57%, had the same audit outcome as in 2020/21, while 15% had regressed. There was progress elsewhere: 72 municipalities, or 28%, improved their audit outcomes, and the number receiving disclaimed opinions fell from 29 to eight. An audit opinion does not, by itself, tell residents whether their water supply is reliable or their streets are maintained, but it reveals important information about financial management and accountability.

Municipal performance cannot be reduced to a contest between parties or to the condition of a single road. Councils approve budgets, oversee administrations and make decisions that influence the maintenance of local infrastructure, while responsibilities for certain services involve other spheres of government and public entities. Residents therefore need to ask precise questions: what was budgeted, what was delivered, what failed, and which institution had responsibility? Answers rooted in audited accounts and service reports offer more substance than slogans.

The election also presents a test of how seriously candidates regard public scrutiny. Voters can examine municipal audit outcomes, published budgets and the names of candidates standing in their wards, then question those asking for their support. Elected representatives should be willing to explain both achievements and unresolved failures without treating every criticism as a party-political attack. Accountability becomes meaningful when residents can compare a promise with a measurable result.

Voting is an important democratic decision, but municipal oversight cannot be confined to election season. Council meetings, budgets, service-delivery plans and audit findings deserve public examination throughout the next term. A councillor's willingness to answer difficult questions after taking office is at least as significant as the assurances made before polling day. The most useful election promise is one that the public will be able to test.

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