Elections 2026
How is your municipality doing?
We are doing in depth reports on municipalities across the country ahead of the 2026 local elections.
Tshwane silent on Bronkhorstspruit’s discoloured water
Residents say they are worried about possibly getting water-borne illnesses
Brief | 9 October 2026
Ekurhuleni police force employed convicted killers, Parliament told
Damning draft report presented to SCOPA lists critical governance and financial failures across five cities
Feature | 8 October 2026
Deputy minister takes action on broken wastewater treatment plant
Jack Bloom visits Klerksdorp Wastewater Treatment Works, which has not worked since 2023
By Seth Thorne
News | 6 October 2026
Elections 2026: this village in the Langkloof orchards is strewn with rubbish
Residents of Louterwater in Kou-Kamma municipality complain of uncollected waste, persistent sewage overflows and inconsistent water supply
Feature | 5 October 2026
Durban and Joburg worst hit by water outages
These are the metros where long interruptions are most common
Chart by The Outlier. Text by GroundUp Staff.
Charts | 2 October 2026
Elections 2026: This municipality is pouring sewage into the Vaal River
Streams that feed the river are being contaminated by failing wastewater treatment in Matlosana municipality
Text by Seth Thorne. Photos by Ihsaan Haffejee.
Feature | 30 September 2026
Cape Town Airbnb hosts could pay triple rates
Short-term letting properties may be subject to commercial rates
News | 28 September 2026
Elections 2026: How this North West town went from boom to bust
Matlosana municipality is under a financial recovery plan after years of mismanagement
Text by Seth Thorne. Photos by Ihsaan Haffejee.
Feature | 28 September 2026
Elections 2026: This failing town is knee-deep in sewage
Tswaing municipality in the North West spends money on court battles and consultants
Text by Seth Thorne. Photos by Ihsaan Haffejee.
Feature | 24 September 2026