MEDIA ALERT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

09 October 2026

Residents put ward councillor candidates to the test with a community-written manifesto

Umbrella Civic 92+ and My Vote Counts invite residents and media to a community town hall where ward councillor candidates will be challenged to commit to residents’ priorities and concrete accountability measures ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.

WHAT: Umbrella Civic 92+ Ward Councillor Candidate Town Hall

WHEN: Saturday, 10 October 2026 | 09:00–12:00

WHERE: Community House, Salt River, Cape Town

HOSTED BY: Umbrella Civic 92+ in collaboration with My Vote Counts

With the 2026 Local Government Elections approaching, residents of Ward 92 are taking a different approach to local democracy: writing their own manifesto and asking prospective ward councillors to commit to it.

Umbrella Civic 92+, previously known as Umbrella Civic 57+, brings together residents, civic groups and local organisations across Woodstock, Walmer Estate, Salt River, Observatory, University Estate and parts of District Six. Through community discussions and consultations, residents have identified the qualities they expect from their ward councillor, the priorities they want addressed and the mechanisms needed to hold elected representatives accountable.

The resulting Umbrella Civic 92+ Community Manifesto sets out four key priorities: housing and affordability; reliable municipal services; the upkeep of public spaces; and support for vulnerable groups, particularly children and young people.

But residents are demanding more than promises on service delivery. They want a councillor who is present in the community, communicates regularly, works collaboratively with existing community structures and responds to residents’ concerns.

The manifesto also proposes practical accountability measures, including quarterly public meetings, transparent ward committee processes, public progress updates and annual community-led assessments of the councillor’s performance. Candidates are invited to sign a written commitment to these expectations and acknowledge that residents may call on them to step down if they fail to honour their commitments.

At Saturday’s town hall, candidates will have an opportunity to engage directly with residents, respond to questions arising from the manifesto and demonstrate their willingness to be accountable to the people they seek to represent.

The event forms part of a broader effort to strengthen democracy from below: supporting communities to use elections not simply as opportunities to cast a vote, but as moments to organise, build collective power and establish mechanisms for accountability that continue long after election day.

My Vote Counts’ Democracy from Below programme works alongside civic formations to strengthen local organising, support community-led accountability practices and document lessons that can inform movements working towards a more participatory democracy.

ENDS