By Cyril Ramaphosa
Last night, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced the results of the 2026 local government elections. All South Africans should be proud that this election, a crucial pillar of our democratic constitutional order, was free, fair and peaceful.
Last Wednesday, more than 15 million South Africans cast their ballots across the country. Some were seasoned voters who have not missed an election since 1994, while others were young people marking a ballot for the first time.
They came from cities, towns and villages, from every community and walk of life. Whatever their differences, they shared the belief that their participation matters.
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We congratulate the IEC for exercising its mandate with the utmost professionalism and care. We are also grateful to the police, the defence force and other government officials for ensuring that voting proceeded smoothly and securely. We commend all the parties and candidates who campaigned responsibly.
The improved voter turnout and the large number of parties and candidates show that our democracy is active and vibrant. With more than 540 parties and close to 137,000 candidates standing, voters had a greater choice than at any time since 1994. Our democracy continues to evolve and to open new avenues for civic participation.
This year, we mark three decades since our Constitution was signed into law, establishing South Africa as a multi-party democracy in which every adult has an equal vote and those in power must regularly return to the people for a fresh mandate. At a time when democracy is being tested in a number of countries, last week’s poll shows that these foundations remain sound.
In democracies across the world, we are seeing political choices being shaped by the ‘bread-and-butter’ issues that matter most to voters.
South African voters are no different. They want work and economic opportunity. They want reliable and affordable supplies of water and electricity, well-maintained public spaces and neighbourhoods where they feel safe. They want municipalities that are well run and local finances that are soundly managed.
Through this election, the South African people are demanding that those entrusted with public service fulfil their responsibilities. Those who have been elected to councils now need to prove themselves worthy of the trust placed in them by the South African people.
Work must now begin in earnest. As they attend to the immediate needs of residents, the incoming councillors will have an important role in reshaping the system of local government, guided by the recommendations of the revised White Paper on Local Government.
The White Paper sets out measures to put municipal finances on a sounder footing, to direct more money to maintaining infrastructure and to ensure that services reach residents reliably.
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Winning the confidence of the electorate at the ballot box must never be taken for granted. Political parties must cooperate in good faith to reach agreement on the election of office-bearers so that councils can be constituted and they can get to work. In the interests of effective, accountable local government, those who have been elected must work to find common ground from the very outset, regardless of their political differences.
We need to make local government an engine room of service delivery, a driver of development and a creator of opportunity. This calls for councillors who put the needs of communities ahead of any other interests, who listen and respond to residents and who carry out their duties with humility.
It is up to all of us to ensure that democracy delivers for every South African and that local government works better for all.
