By Marcus Moloko
Political parties are expected to lean heavily on national issues such as crime, illegal immigration and social grants in their bids to win support in the local government elections, despite these issues falling outside the direct responsibilities of municipalities, according to an analyst.
Political analyst Tara Roos said parties are increasingly focusing on topics that dominate public discourse rather than traditional local government concerns such as water provision, refuse removal and municipal infrastructure.
“National issues are a big focus of this election cycle,” said Roos.
“We have many parties talking about issues such as social grants, illegal immigration, national policing, none of which have any effect on local government.”
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Roos said parties are capitalising on issues that resonate strongly with voters amid growing public concern over national challenges.
“Very few people are really wanting to talk about water infrastructure and refuse removal,” she said. “What is pressing on many South Africans at the moment are these national talking points, and politicians are capitalising on that.”
According to Roos, the increasing emphasis on national debates may also reflect political parties’ struggles to offer convincing solutions to persistent local government challenges.
“There is a deliberate divergence from talking about the bread-and-butter issues,” she said.
“When we look at issues of service delivery, unemployment and the cost of living for many residents in their prospective wards, it is something that parties do not have a grasp on.”
Roos believes the highly competitive nature of local politics is likely to drive parties to use whatever messaging they believe will resonate most strongly with voters.
Data from ward by-elections since the 2021 local government elections highlights the extent of that competition.
South Africa has held 435 ward by-elections since 2021, with 120 wards changing hands, meaning nearly 28% of those wards shifted from one party to another.
The trend has become even more pronounced this year. According to Roos, 47% of all ward by-elections held during the first half of 2026 resulted in a change of control, underlining the volatility of voter support ahead of the next municipal elections.
“Of the by-elections that just occurred in the first half of 2026, 47% changed hands,” she said. “I think that is a really telling indication for just how competitive local government elections are and how political parties will use any messaging that they can to make sure that they come out on top.”
The figures suggest that established parties can no longer rely solely on traditional support bases and will instead seek to capture voter attention through issues dominating the national conversation.
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For the ANC, the task will be convincing voters that it can address service delivery failures while defending its governance record.
The DA is likely to focus on municipal management and governance, while parties such as the EFF, MK Party and smaller local organisations may seek to capitalise on voter frustration around crime, immigration and economic pressures.
With almost half of recent by-election contests producing new winners, talks between industry analysts at the IEC say the battle for municipalities is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested local government races in recent years, with national issues expected to play a central role in campaign strategies.
