With just over five months until the 2026 Local Government Elections scheduled for November 4, municipal and city managers from across South Africa have gathered in Johannesburg for the National Municipal Managers Forum, hosted by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA).
The forum is focused on election readiness, governance stability, and transition planning ahead of the seventh term of democratic local government.
SALGA Chief Officer for Municipal Resilience, Lance Joel, said the two-day national meeting was about preparing municipal managers not only for the elections themselves but also for what he called “the transition”—moving from the current political term of office into the new one.
“There are a number of things that should be done leading up to the elections, a number of things to be done during the actual elections, and then lastly post elections,” Joel said, noting that post-election tasks include reestablishing political structures and holding elections for office bearers.
Joel indicated that SALGA will convene similar national meetings in the coming month with municipal speakers, executive mayors, and councillors holistically.
“We need to prepare them for the eventuality if they do not return after the local government elections,” he said. Mayors and speakers are required to prepare political handover reports for incoming administrations, and Joel said officials need to be walked through the expectations of those reports.
On institutional memory, Joel said the core attempt is to document information through the political handover report so that incoming elected councillors get a full sense of the state of the administration, the executive arm, and the legislative and oversight arm of council.
Joel also expressed hope that amendments to the Structures Act through what he called “the coalitions bill” would be finalized before the elections, noting that coalitions are currently not regulated. “This bill will go a long way in introducing some stability in municipalities,” he said.
Regarding service delivery during the transition, Joel said two things were specifically addressed: ensuring that the administration under the leadership of the municipal manager continues to deliver uninterrupted services pre, during, and post elections, and recognizing that current mayors remain in office until the Electoral Commission of South Africa has announced the election results.
“The political structures that currently exist must continue to be functional such that we do not leave a vacuum but also do not allow for instability,” he said.
On preventing corruption spikes in pre-election procurement and appointments, Joel said SALGA, the Department of Cooperative Governance, and National Treasury jointly develop a transitional guideline communicated to municipalities. Key issues emphasized include procurement, political party funding, and employee contracts that may end around the election period.
Joel confirmed that municipal managers raised concerns about political interference, including being approached for instructions that create discomfort. “Quite often we have seen the blurring of the line that divides the [administration and political arm],” he said, adding that managers shared experiences on how to manage political difficulties during the transition and into the new term of office.