By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa will hold the Local Government Elections (LGE) on 4 November 2026 to elect councils for all district, metropolitan and local municipalities in each of the country’s nine provinces.
President Cyril Ramaphosa proclaimed the date during the extended Presidential Coordinating Council (PCC) meeting in Boksburg, East of Johannesburg.
Ramaphosa did so after consultation with Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa. This means elections are less than 190 days.
The elections are held within a 90-day window following the end of the current five-year term, which began on November 1, 2021.
The PCC is the President’s platform for consultations and crucial engagement with provinces and organised local government in order to raise matters of national interest, coordinate alignment of priorities, strengthen strategic priorities, and discuss performance.
Ramaphosa said the gathering aimed to find solutions to water and other challenges facing different spheres of government, particularly at the municipal level.
He said instability in governance and poor revenue collection were among the factors contributing to problems in municipalities.
“This results in poor service delivery. Water and electricity disruptions are common. Roads and other infrastructure are not maintained. It is ordinary South Africans who bear the costs of this,” he said.
The meeting was attended by ministers, premiers, mayors, and municipal managers. The PCC is aimed at strengthening coordination among the three spheres of government and improving service delivery.
Ramaphosa outlined a comprehensive strategy to fix water services by enforcing strict accountability, ensuring financial ring-fencing for maintenance, hiring qualified technical staff, punishing corruption, and fostering collaboration across all government levels.
He acknowledged that while South Africa has made significant strides in extending water access over three decades of democracy, the nation now faces a severe, multifaceted water crisis that requires immediate, coordinated action.
Although Census 2022 data showed that over 82% of households have access to piped water inside their house or yard, a major increase from 61% in 1996, the reliability and quality of these services have deteriorated significantly.
Ramaphosa acknowledged that the country’s local government sphere is facing a defining moment.
According to the 2024 general household survey, households experiencing water interruptions lasting more than two days increased from 24% in 2012 to 34% in 2024.
Ramaphosa noted that this was driven by ageing infrastructure, maintenance deficits, and institutional failures.
He pointed out that collectively, the eight metropolitan municipalities are losing an average of 34% of all water purchased before it can be billed, with some metros approaching 50% losses.
He added that municipal debt to water boards has tripled between 2018 and 2025, signalling a financial crisis in the sector, he said.
Government needs a range of actions addressing critical areas of failure, he added, noting that major reforms in the water sector are underway, under Operation Vulindlela since 2020.
Among the water sector reforms completed are the passing of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency Act and the establishment of the remaining Catchment Management Agencies.
“The programme aims to reverse long-term service decline, improve financial sustainability, and unlock R108-billion in investment by enforcing clear performance targets, “he explained.
Ramaphosa said government has cleared the backlog of water-use license applications, with the turnaround time for processing new water-use license applications markedly improved.
He said the completion of the new White Paper on Local Government would be important in addressing these challenges.
“Among the tasks we need to focus on is to unblock infrastructure. Energy, water, roads, and public transport form the foundation on which economic growth and social development are built,” he said.