LGE 2026 | A turning point for South Africa's municipalities? - IOL

Special voting for South Africa’s 2026 Local Government Elections got underway nationwide on Monday, with eligible voters casting their ballots ahead of Wednesday’s election on 4 November. As South Africa approaches the 4 November 2026 local government elections, questions about service delivery, political accountability and municipal leadership remain pressing. Professor Purshottama Reddy examines the challenges facing municipalities and argues that professionalisation, merit-based appointments and ethical leadership are essential to restoring public confidence in local government.

The 4 November 2026 local government elections could mark a watershed moment for South Africa for several reasons.

They will be the first municipal elections held under the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the Provincial Government of Unity (PGU) in KwaZulu-Natal. The elections will also provide an important indication of voter sentiment ahead of the 2029 national and provincial elections.

The findings and revelations associated with the Zondo Commission and the Madlanga Commission have also highlighted concerns about corruption and governance in South Africa. These developments form part of a broader debate about corruption that has affected South African society since 1994, particularly over the past decade.

South Africa became a democracy on 27 April 1994.

Since then, the country has held five democratic local government elections. However, the performance of municipalities, particularly over the past decade, has not always reflected the promise of democratic governance.

Local government, as the third sphere of government, is at a crossroads. Municipalities must either break the cycle of poor performance, limited transparency, inadequate service delivery, corruption and weak public accountability that has characterised many of them for more than two decades, or transform themselves into effective institutions that improve residents' quality of life.

This transformation requires political parties and their elected councillors to translate electoral promises into tangible improvements in communities.

More specifically, newly elected municipal leaders and senior officials must return to the basics: ensuring a reliable supply of clean water and electricity, providing adequate public housing and maintaining roads. These responsibilities are rooted in the Constitution, the White Paper on Local Government and related legislation, which collectively established the foundation of South Africa's post-1994 local government system.

It is important to acknowledge the achievements of the African National Congress (ANC), the leading party in the GNU and a participant in KwaZulu-Natal's PGU. The party played a central role in South Africa's democratic transition and the introduction of a progressive local government system.

During the first decade of democratic local governance, many municipalities were relatively responsive and effective in fulfilling their responsibilities. Several metropolitan municipalities performed well, with eThekwini Municipality, in particular, gaining recognition for its performance at the continental level.

However, serious weaknesses have since emerged in the local governance system. These have contributed to growing frustration and disillusionment among residents, many of whom have become increasingly vocal about inadequate municipal services.

Some residents have expressed their dissatisfaction by declaring that they are "gatvol" — a South African colloquialism meaning fed up — with persistent service delivery failures.

This raises a fundamental question: What has changed to produce a situation in which communities have lost confidence in municipal institutions, governance structures and, particularly, senior municipal officials?

This deterioration in public confidence has become increasingly evident since 2016.

Over the past three decades, local government has become increasingly politicised. Political parties have frequently failed to nominate or appoint the most suitably qualified candidates for municipal leadership positions, including mayors, deputy mayors, speakers, committee chairpersons, municipal managers and heads of departments.

In many instances, selection and appointment processes have not been based on merit or the principle of choosing the best person for the job. Instead, factors such as party loyalty, seniority, race and personal economic circumstances have influenced appointments.

Some positions have reportedly been used to accommodate former members of Parliament, members of executive councils (MECs) or senior public servants who have lost their previous positions and require alternative employment.

Consequently, some appointees have lacked the qualifications, expertise, experience and, perhaps most importantly, commitment needed to perform their duties effectively.

Accountability to residents has also been inadequate, while political parties have not consistently held their representatives responsible for poor performance.

In some cases, political connections and established patronage networks have contributed to a culture of entitlement and arrogance among municipal officeholders.

These practices have damaged public confidence in political parties and municipal institutions. Rebuilding that trust will require sustained reforms and a fundamental change in leadership culture.

Several initiatives have sought to professionalise local government and strengthen institutional capacity.

These include the Professionalising/Repositioning of the Local Government Sector report commissioned by the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA) in 2018; the National Framework Towards the Professionalisation of the Public Sector, developed by the National School of Government in 2022; and the South African Local Government Association's (SALGA) Local Government Professionalisation Indaba in 2023.

According to the National School of Government, professionalisation is a deliberate intervention aimed at developing a merit-based, capable and ethical municipal administration capable of reversing service delivery failures and financial distress.

However, these initiatives have not always provided sufficient clarity on how their recommendations should be implemented. Consequently, their impact on municipal performance and institutional effectiveness has remained limited.

They have also failed to generate the level of public confidence needed to restore trust in local government.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasised the importance of merit-based appointments in the public sector in his recent State of the Nation addresses.

Legislative and policy reforms aimed at strengthening public administration and oversight are also intended to improve accountability and professionalism across government.

Nevertheless, these interventions will have limited impact unless the quality of municipal leadership changes fundamentally.

Strong political commitment and decisive administrative leadership are essential to transforming municipalities into effective institutions that serve as the "hands and feet of government" in delivering reliable and responsive public services.

South Africa does not lack skilled professionals. The challenge is to identify, attract, develop and retain the expertise required to strengthen municipal administration.

Too often, capable individuals have been marginalised rather than supported, particularly over the past decade.

Equally important is the need for effective consequence management. Poor service delivery, underperformance, corruption and other forms of misconduct must be addressed through appropriate disciplinary and legal processes.

Accountability cannot end with the identification of wrongdoing. Where misconduct is established, meaningful corrective or punitive action must follow.

Prospective municipal councillors should demonstrate a genuine commitment to public service and have a proven record of working with local communities.

This should include meaningful engagement with ward committees, ratepayers' and residents' associations, community-based organisations and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs).

Councillors should also be passionate about improving service delivery and addressing developmental backlogs.

These qualities are particularly important in South Africa, where the legacy of apartheid continues to influence access to infrastructure, public services and economic opportunities.

Elected representatives must be accessible, responsive to residents' concerns and willing to engage constructively with the communities they serve.

Municipal office should not be viewed primarily as a source of personal financial security or material benefits.

Political parties must resist the practice of nominating candidates simply because they have lost positions elsewhere or require alternative employment.

Such appointments risk reinforcing a culture in which municipal representatives regard themselves as accountable primarily to the political parties that nominated them, rather than to the electorate.

Ultimately, the 2026 local government elections present an opportunity to reassess the quality of municipal leadership and the effectiveness of local governance.

Restoring confidence in municipalities will require more than electoral promises. It will demand ethical leadership, professional administration, merit-based appointments, transparent decision-making and a renewed commitment to serving communities.

The central challenge is whether political parties and newly elected councillors will demonstrate the political will to deliver these changes.

The future credibility of local government, and its ability to improve the lives of South Africans, will depend on their response.

*** Professor Purshottama Reddy is a professor and public governance specialist at the Graduate School of Business and Leadership, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).

** The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of IOL.

As South Africa approaches the 4 November 2026 local government elections, questions about service delivery, political accountability and municipal leadership remain pressing. Professor Purshottama Reddy examines the challenges facing municipalities and argues that professionalisation, merit-based appointments and ethical leadership are essential to restoring public confidence in local government.