Elections 2026
How is your municipality doing?
We are doing in depth reports on municipalities across the country ahead of the 2026 local elections.
Young people stay home on voters day
Fewer young people are registering and turning out to vote
Chart by The Outlier. Text by GroundUp Staff.
Charts | 31 July 2026
Residents lay criminal charges against Theewaterskloof over illegal waste dump
Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs says the municipality ignored a formal directive to remedy the situation
By Rasaad Adams
Brief | 29 July 2026
National Treasury to unfreeze funds to municipalities
But finance minister warns that some municipalities are “not off the hook”
By Liezl Human
Brief | 28 July 2026
Elections 2026: Dawid Kruiper Municipality battling water leaks and sewage spills
The Special Investigating Unit is looking into “allegations of serious maladministration” involving 24 contracts at the municipality
By Liezl Human
Feature | 23 July 2026
Tswaing municipality staff have been months without pay
Only the highest-earning workers have been paid since April
By Seth Thorne
News | 22 July 2026
Elections 2026: Amahlathi municipality is doing better on paper but residents yet to see the benefits
Infrastructure projects grind to a halt
By Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik and Steve Kretzmann
Feature | 22 July 2026
Time to pay up: a look at municipal debt
More than R161-billion owed for electricity, water and taxes
Chart by The Outlier. Text by GroundUp Staff.
Charts | 17 July 2026
Pietermaritzburg’s R1-billion transport flop
No buses operate on Msunduzi Municipality’s failed public transport system
News | 13 July 2026
Taps dry as municipality drowns in R1-billion debt
Residents of the Kai !Garib Local Municipality in the Northern Cape face collapsing services, frequent water interruptions, and potholed roads
By Liezl Human
Feature | 13 July 2026