South African local election political landscape

As the November 4, 2026, local government elections approach, President Cyril Ramaphosa has addressed both municipal service delivery challenges and national economic stability. In Mangaung, Ramaphosa noted that while some improvements have occurred, mismanagement led to the return of allocated funds, leaving infrastructure backlogs in water, sewage, and roads estimated at over R4 billion. He described the persistence of pit latrine toilets as “disheartening.”

On a national scale, Ramaphosa reported that public debt has stabilized and begun to decline, noting a primary budget surplus since 2023 and the country’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list.

In the final days before the vote, Ramaphosa has dismissed recent opinion polls from Ipsos and the Social Research Foundation that project a significant drop in national support compared to 2021. Speaking at a rally in the Eastern Cape, he asserted that the African National Congress (ANC) is rising rather than entering a downward spiral. He accused opposition leaders of focusing on criticism rather than service provision, maintaining that the ANC remains the only organization capable of delivering meaningful results.

In Limpopo, the ANC expressed confidence in retaining control of all 22 local and five district municipalities, with spokesperson Ernest Rachoene stating that door-to-door campaigning has positioned the party for victory. Despite this confidence, the party faces ongoing pressure regarding unemployment, crime, corruption, and infrastructure challenges. The government continues to utilize the District Development Model to attempt to integrate planning across national, provincial, and local levels.