President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday it is at a local government level where elected public representatives’ commitment to advancing human rights is measured the most.

Ramaphosa urged those standing for elections to agree that the focus should not only be about securing the most votes, but that it would fundamentally be about the people of South Africa and ensuring that their best interests were placed above all else.

South Africa will hold municipal elections on November 1.

“We share the common goal of a better life for all. Regardless of which political party we support, belong to or are campaigning for, let us together work to rebuild trust and improve communication,” he said.

Ramaphosa visited parts of Gauteng and Mpumalanga over the weekend in finalising the voter registration weekend ahead of the local government elections on 1 November.

“As I met with residents in parts of Gauteng and Mpumalanga over the weekend, what struck me most was the importance of local government being accessible, visible and above all, reachable. This is particularly important when service delivery challenges, disruptions or failures occur,” he said.

He explained that citizens often complained that in the lead-up to elections, ward councillors, candidates and officials were energetic, interacting with communities and listening to their concerns. However, once elections had passed, they either disappeared or it became difficult to reach them, he said.

Ramaphosa said water, electricity, sanitation, housing, education and health care were the things people needed most to have a decent quality of life, explaining that where local government failed to meet these needs, the impact was immediate and profound.

He said accountable local government meant maintaining a sustained public presence and an open door policy, not just when election time came around, adding that services must be delivered and allocated budgets must be spent.

“When this does not happen as planned, elected officials must clearly explain why and show how and when problems will be fixed,” he added.

However, he said when local government was efficient and well-run, it provided the foundation people needed to improve their living standards and to find opportunities.

He explained that elected public representatives needed to be out in communities, listening to people’s concerns and resolving their problems.

“A common refrain from communities, and something I heard again over the weekend, is that engagement with ward councillors starts off well, but diminishes steadily over time,” he said.