As South Africa enters 2026, political parties across the spectrum are positioning for a contest that will test local governance performance, coalition resilience, and the governing credibility of major political players.
The municipal elections, the date of which is yet to be decided by co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, are set to dominate the political calendar this year.
While the vote is still far off, the contest for control of municipalities, which manage basic services such as water, electricity and sanitation, will probably dominate the strategy of political parties, parliamentary behaviour and intergovernmental relations throughout 2026.
For the ANC, which was bruised by the 2024 national election and the advent of a government of national unity (GNU), the local polls represent a referendum on performance and a staging ground for its 2027 internal elective conference.
On the continent, Pretoria is likely to emphasise mediation, peacekeeping support and institutional reform through the AU and Sadc.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is expected to intensify operational readiness in the first quarter, including voter registration campaigns.
The elections of the current municipal councils were held on November 1 2021, which resulted in 66 hung councils out of 257 municipalities. The ANC conceded that though it led the pack in votes, the support it garnered was insufficient for it to govern councils without forming coalitions.
The hung councils include the metros of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay, which it lost to the DA in 2016. These municipalities have been plagued by poor governance stemming partly from frequent changes in political leadership and infighting among coalition partners.
For 2026, the DA will probably push its record in metros it controls, while others aim to capture disenchanted voters in townships and rural districts where service delivery failures are most acute.
Service delivery protests, already a persistent feature of municipal politics, are expected to intensify in the run-up to the elections. Water shortages, power outages and infrastructure failures will feature in campaign debates.
Concurrent to these pressures, the 2026 national budget, to be presented by finance minister Enoch Godongwana in February, will be scrutinised for provisions affecting distressed municipalities. Budget allocations to local government and conditional grants will become fodder for political contention.
At the heart of the problem the cities are facing is a failure to ring-fence revenue from services such as electricity, water and sanitation and then plough that money back into building and maintaining existing infrastructure to expand on and keep providing those services.
As Shamila Batohi’s term as national director of public prosecutions (NDPP) ends this month, the process to appoint her successor has become highly contested. President Cyril Ramaphosa established an advisory panel to oversee nominations and vet candidates, with a final shortlist to be presented for his consideration.
An urgent court application has been filed at the Pretoria high court seeking to interdict Ramaphosa from finalising the NDPP appointment, alleging procedural flaws in the advisory panel’s process and demanding its work be scrapped. This application is likely to be heard in January.
The race to replace Edward Kieswetter as head of the South African Revenue Service is also heating up. Kieswetter is set to step down from the position in April; however, he is expected to stay on until December to oversee the handover to his successor. A panel set up by Godongwana and headed by former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene is considering the candidates most likely to replace Kieswetter.
Key commissions and inquiries resume hearings this month. The Madlanga commission is expected to wrap up its proceedings during the course of the year. Ramaphosa in December received an interim report from the commission.
The commission is probing allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system. Since September 17, it has heard from 37 witnesses over 45 days. One hearing was heard in camera.
On the international front, South Africa enters 2026 facing a far more constrained and transactional global environment shaped by the geopolitical shocks and realignments of 2025. Rather than dramatic diplomatic pivots, the year is likely to be characterised by pressure management.
Relations with the US are expected to remain pragmatic. Trade and investment ties will continue, but political trust remains fragile after disputes over foreign policy positions and global conflicts.
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