Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung South Africa

14/10/2026

KAS is proud to support the launch of South Africa’s Easy Elections Guide: Local Government 2026 by Nickolaus Bauer.

LINK to the GUIDE: https://www.kas.de/en/web/suedafrika/single-title/-/content/south-africa-s-easy-election-guide-local-government-2026

With the 2026 municipal elections on the horizon, informed voter participation is more important than ever. The guide provides citizens with a practical and accessible resource to better understand local government, electoral processes, and the issues shaping their communities.

A special thank you to Talya O'Haher for sharing insights from the Pledge to Vote Campaign and highlighting the importance of strengthening civic engagement.

We look forward to continuing the conversation at upcoming launch events across South Africa.

12/10/2026

🗳️ Save the Date: Local Government Elections 2026 – Your Vote Matters

As South Africa prepares for the 2026 Local Government Elections, join us for an important discussion on democracy, voter participation and the future of local governance.

📅 Cape Town | 12 October | 10:30am-1:00pm
📍 129 Hatfield Street, Gardens

📅 Johannesburg | 13 October
📍 WITS University, Solomon Mahlangu House, Postgraduate Research Hub

📅 Pretoria | 14 October
📍 Kykkos Hall, 37 Lynnwood Road, Brooklyn

📅 Gqeberha | 20 October | 6:00pm-8:00pm
📍 Council Chambers, South Campus, Nelson Mandela University

📅 Durban | 22 October | 12:00pm-2:00pm
📍 The Edward Hotel, 149 Marina Parade

Hear from:
🔹 Talya Beyers on the latest findings from the Pledge to Vote Campaign, an initiative working to reverse declining voter turnout and strengthen democratic participation.
🔹 Nickolaus Bauer, author of South Africa's Easy Election Guide 2026: Local Government Edition, who will unpack why local elections matter, how they differ from national and provincial elections, and what voters need to know about the political landscape shaping municipalities across the country.

📧 RSVP: [email protected]

08/10/2026

As South Africa prepares for the 2026 Local Government Elections, informed and active citizen participation has never been more important.

Join the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and the University of the Witwatersrand for an engaging discussion on the future of local governance and democracy in South Africa.

The event will feature:
✅ Talya Beyers presenting the latest findings from the Pledge to Vote Campaign, aimed at reversing declining voter turnout.
✅ Nickolaus Bauer discussing his latest publication, South Africa's Easy Elections Guide 2026: Local Government Edition.

📖 All participants will receive a complimentary copy of the book.

📍 Postgraduate Research Hub, 2nd Floor, Solomon Mahlangu House, Wits University (and online)

📝 Registration is required. Secure your place by completing the registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScfhSDuSzKEIriLoyL0grjjG2VwC1ssmN-p4hvczUY1FC-VRA/viewform

06/10/2026

How resilient is our democracy? And what role can young people play in protecting it?

The Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre (JHGC), with the support of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung South Africa, recently hosted a thought-provoking workshop on "The Fragility of Democracy."

Bringing together young representatives from different political parties, non-affiliated youth leaders, and students from Wits, UP and UJ, the workshop created a unique space for dialogue across diverse perspectives.

Participants explored the challenges facing democracies today and reflected on the lessons of the Holocaust, apartheid in South Africa, and the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. These discussions highlighted the importance of active citizenship and the shared responsibility of safeguarding democratic values.

We were honoured to hear insights from Dr Mispa Roux (University of Pretoria), Mbekezeli Benjamin (Judges Matter), and the dedicated team from JHGC.

📖 Find out more about the workshop and its key outcomes:

Understanding Democracy’s Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience for the Future

17/09/2026

How can faith communities help strengthen democracy, accountability and good governance in South Africa?

These critical questions were at the heart of the National Church Leaders’ Consultation (NCLC), hosted in partnership with the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation South Africa in Cape Town. Church leaders, academics, civil society representatives and policy experts came together to discuss the governance challenges facing South Africa. At the event, they identified practical pathways towards a more accountable, inclusive and just society.

Keynote contributions by Moeletsi Mbeki and Prof Pierre de Vos sparked robust discussions on democratic accountability, corruption, economic development, active citizenship and the role of faith communities in shaping the country's future.

The consultation concluded with a shared commitment to continue the conversation and work towards concrete actions that strengthen democratic institutions and promote the common good.

Read more:

NATIONAL CHURCH LEADERS’ CONSULTATION (NCLC)

11/09/2026

Why are so many South African municipalities struggling, and what can be done to turn them around?

We are pleased to share Local Government: Crises Decades In The Making And How To Deal With Them, a new paper by Terence Corrigan, IRR Projects and Publications Manager, funded by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.

As local elections draw closer, the challenges facing municipalities across South Africa are impossible to ignore. From potholes and failing infrastructure to uncollected refuse and service delivery breakdowns, the paper argues that these visible symptoms stem from deeper political and structural problems within the local government system.

The publication examines why local government is failing to meet South Africa's current realities and explores the fundamental reforms needed to secure the country's future.

📖 Read the full paper here:

Single title

07/09/2026

As South Africa prepares for local elections, the state of local government has become a defining issue for the country's future. From failing infrastructure and unreliable service delivery to deeper governance challenges, many municipalities are struggling under systems that are no longer fit for purpose.

Join the Institute of Race Relations (IRR), the University of the Free State, and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung for an important webinar exploring bold solutions to South Africa's local government crisis.

The webinar will launch a new IRR report, Local Government: Crises Decades in the Making and How to Deal with Them, presented by Terence Corrigan, IRR Projects and Publications Manager.

He will be joined by:
Sanet Solomon
Sethulego Matebesi
Burgert Gildenhuys

Together, they will examine why so many municipalities have failed and what reforms are needed to restore effective local governance.

🔗 Register/Join the webinar:

https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html?url=%2F_%23%2Fmeet%2F364525691362179%3Fp%3DU6fQn6LW5JJKukJrTI%26utm_source%3Dnewsletter%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_term%3D09%2B07%2B2026%26utm_campaign%3DNew%2BIRR%2Breport%2Bon%2Boverhauling%2Blocal%2Bgovernment%2Bto%2Bbe%2Breleased%2Bat%2Bwebinar%2Bnext%2Bweek%26anon%3Dtrue&type=meet

04/09/2026

🔍 What drives good governance in South Africa's State-Owned Entities?

KAS South Africa and OUTA have launched the first two papers in a new research series on SOE board remuneration, governance and accountability.

The studies examine critical questions including:

✅ Can remuneration reform improve governance?

✅ Why are merit-based appointments essential for effective leadership?

✅ How can SOE Boards and Non-Executive Directors be held accountable for organisational performance?

✅ What reforms are needed to rebuild public trust and improve SOE outcomes?

Authored by governance experts Kris Dobbie and Fatima Rawat of The Ethics Institute, the papers provide evidence-based recommendations for strengthening ethical leadership and accountability across South Africa's public institutions.

📖 Read the papers here: 🔗

Launch of the KAS & OUTA Research Series on State-Owned Enterprise Board Remuneration

02/09/2026

The State of Local Government in South Africa

As South Africa approaches the 2026 local elections, municipalities face significant challenges, including failing service delivery, deteriorating infrastructure, financial distress, and declining public trust. These issues are reshaping the political landscape and raising important questions about the future of coalition governance.

In their latest analysis, Gregor Jaecke and Nina Krasel examine the state of South African municipalities, ongoing reform efforts, and why the key challenge remains implementation rather than policy design.

📖 Read the full paper on the KAS website:

Between Crisis and Reform

31/08/2026

We were pleased to welcome Laurent Zeimet, Member of the Luxembourg Parliament and Leader of the CSV parliamentary group, to the KAS South Africa office.

Discussions focused on South Africa's domestic political landscape, coalition governance under the GNU, upcoming local government elections, South Africa-EU relations, multilateralism, BRICS, and the role of international partnerships in a changing geopolitical environment.

The visit concluded with a productive discussion with MP Chris Hattingh (DA).