Local Government
latest news & developments
Horse trading as coalition talks kick into gear
As coalition talks gather pace across hung South African municipalities, the ANC explores whether the SACP could transfer council seats to rescue mayoral candidates in…
The stench of neglect
Photographer Simphiwe Fuwe Molefe investigates the everyday reality of living with recurring sewage in Katlehong, documenting how chronic infrastructure failure penetrates the…
ANC presidents live in wards run by rival parties
Several prominent South African leaders, including President Cyril Ramaphosa and former presidents Jacob Zuma, Thabo Mbeki, and Kgalema Motlanthe, now reside in municipal wards…
Big votes but bigger hurdles for MK Party
Despite winning the largest vote share in 19 hung councils across KwaZulu-Natal, the MK Party faces tough coalition negotiations to avoid being sidelined once again into the…
eThekwini metro tribunal finds senior manager guilty of sexual misconduct, recommends dismissal
A senior manager at the eThekwini municipality faces dismissal after an internal disciplinary tribunal found him guilty of sustained sexual misconduct and harassment against a…
MK party lays down ground rules, warns municipal deployments are not entitlement or personal reward
The uMkhonto weSizwe party has warned its members against public infighting over municipal council deployments, reminding them that public office is a responsibility rather than…
ANC embarks on recovery plan after KZN electoral bloodbath, says not all is lost
Despite a severe electoral setback and losing major strongholds like eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal, the ANC maintains that recent gains in vote share mark the beginning of its…
IEC Declares 2026 local elections ‘free and fair’ as SA enters coalition era
Following the IEC's declaration of the 2026 local government elections as free and fair, economists and political analysts weigh in on what the shift toward municipal coalitions…
‘No time for petty squabbles’, says Ramaphosa as coalition tensions brew
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on political parties to negotiate in good faith to form functional municipal councils, warning that infighting must not hinder basic service…
ANC barely hangs on as DA and ActionSA make gains in final IEC results
The IEC has finalised the 2026 local government election results, showing the ANC clinging to a national lead with just 30.76% of the vote amid significant gains for the DA and…
Municipal Coalitions Bill - Why it is important
The parties in South Africa's Government of National Unity must unite to pass the Municipal Structures Amendment Bill, establishing vital framework rules for stable local…
MK Party will not rescue parties rejected by voters, says Duduzane Zuma
Duduzane Zuma says the MK party will not rescue political parties rejected by voters, as coalition talks loom over hung municipalities across KwaZulu-Natal.
IEC orders recounts in five wards as election objections mount
The Electoral Commission of South Africa has ordered recounts in five wards across Tshwane and Mangaung as it handles nearly 200 objections ahead of Sunday's final results…
ANC admits service delivery failures hurt election campaign
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has admitted that voter frustration over poor service delivery, power cuts, water shortages, and internal divisions drove massive election…
DA and ActionSA face coalition test as Gauteng metros hang in the balance
The DA and ActionSA face high-stakes coalition talks as hung councils in major Gauteng metros leave the future of municipal governance hanging in the balance.