"They Keep Voting ANC": Video of Qumbu Residents Washing Clothes in River Has Mzansi Talking
- A video from Qumbu in Mhlontlo Municipality showed residents washing their cars and clothes in a river due to a lack of basic water infrastructure
- The Eastern Cape municipality gave the ANC an overwhelming landslide victory, retaining 40 out of 51 seats in the 2021 local government elections
- The video sparked fierce debate on social media ahead of the November 2026 local government elections
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Source: Twitter
EASTERN CAPE - A video from Qumbu in the Eastern Cape stirred up heated debate online after it showed residents washing their cars and clothes directly in a river. The footage was shared by social media user @AfricaisBlack on 9 August 2026, drawing thousands of responses ahead of South Africa's upcoming November 2026 local government elections.
The post pointed to the absence of basic municipal infrastructure in Mhlontlo Municipality, where taps reportedly exist in some areas but run completely dry. According to the post, this situation has persisted despite 30 years of democracy in South Africa.
Qumbu's political loyalty vs service delivery
What made the post spark widespread reaction was the contrast between the community's voting history and its living conditions. In the 2021 Local Government Elections, Mhlontlo Municipality delivered a sweeping victory to the ANC, which retained 40 out of 51 seats, representing over 70% to 80% of the vote. In the 2024 General Elections, the ANC continued to dominate the O.R. Tambo District, securing over 62% of the total provincial vote.
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@AfricaisBlack summed it up bluntly: "You get the exact governance you vote for."
The post highlighted what many South Africans see as a painful cycle where communities in deep rural areas vote overwhelmingly for the same party, only to remain without reliable water access, roads, or sanitation year after year.
With the November 2026 local elections drawing near, the video has become a flashpoint for broader frustration about accountability in local government.
Mzansi reacts to the Qumbu video
South Africans in the replies had strong feelings:
@gaba_ye said:
"I really don't feel sorry for them though."
@MLANDO60870174 wrote:
"But it serves them right, let them continue voting for ANC."
@kgoatlapa noted:
"The only provisions that work here are from nature (the stream)."
@Sihle_16 commented:
"This is good, they are getting exactly what they voted for."
@sbujnite said:
"I am from that area in a location called Ntaboduli sadly it's normal to them the taps are there but dry nothing is coming out."
3 Briefly News article on service delivery
- Protesting residents in Tembisa, Johannesburg say they are unhappy with service delivery and the high cost of living in the community.
- Frustrated community members of Khutsong-Bothaville in the Free State embarked on a service delivery protest on 19 March 2025.
- The young people of Potchefstroom, North West, accused the government of turning a blind eye to their pleas as they embarked on a service delivery protest on 16 June 2025.
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Source: Briefly News
