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Ever considered that, as South Africans, we've never actually voted directly for a president? Or a mayor, for that matter.
But there is one person you can choose by name whose job is much closer to home: your ward councillor.
That streetlight outside your house that's been broken since last year? The pothole that's practically become a neighbourhood landmark? Your ward councillor is one of the people you should be calling to raise the issue.
And that's what makes local government elections so relevant to everyday city life.
Across South Africa's nine provinces, voters have been heading to the polls since 7am on Wednesday, November 4, to cast their ballots in the 2026 local government elections.
SEE: Voted? Here are 6 places to unwind in Durban after making your mark
With more than 23,000 voting stations across the country, millions of South Africans have the opportunity to decide who represents their neighbourhoods and which parties hold seats on their municipal councils.
But here's where it gets interesting.
Your street forms part of a ward. Several wards make up a municipality. And while voters directly elect their ward councillor, it's the elected municipal council that chooses the mayor.
READ: Neighbourhood Diaries: Pimville
That means the people making decisions about your city's water, roads, refuse collection and other municipal services are connected, through your vote, to the neighbourhood you live in.
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Watch the full video, find your ward at elections.org.za and then share this with a friend who thinks their vote doesn't matter.
ICYMI: Cape Town's water and rates bill changes: Here's what homeowners need to know
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