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Polity.org.za offers a unique take on news, with a focus on political, legal, economic and social issues in South Africa and Africa, as well as international affairs. Now you can listen to the top three articles on Polity at the end of each day.

  1. 6h ago

    NGO critiques local govt failures ahead of elections, launches voter tool

    NGO critiques local govt failures ahead of elections, launches voter tool As South Africa approaches its local government elections, non-governmental organisation My Vote Counts (MVC) has launched a scathing critique of municipal service delivery, warning that decades of documented failures have allowed "local government rot" to fester despite a robust legislative framework. In response to these persistent challenges, the civil society group has released its Municipal People's Analysis of Manifestos (M-PAM), a citizen-centred tool designed to empower voters to evaluate political promises against actual community needs and constitutional mandates. The organisation emphasised that South Africa does not lack the legal infrastructure for good governance, as it possesses a solid legislative foundation designed to foster community-led governance, noting Section 152 of the Constitution which mandates that local government facilitate community participation in municipal affairs. The 1998 White Paper on Local Government envisions citizens participating simultaneously as voters, consumers, and collaborative partners, while the Municipal Systems Act of 2000 legally obligates municipalities to receive petitions, provide notice of meetings, and report back to communities. Despite these laws, MVC noted that maladministration, corruption, and inadequate participatory channels continue to lock citizens out of the decisions shaping their daily lives. A key point of failure highlighted by MVC is the breakdown of ward committees. Intended as a vital communications link between residents and local government, these structures have largely become invisible, the organisation said. "In practice, ward councillors and committees tend to be inaccessible and only visible during elections," the organisation stated, demanding that committee members be known to their constituents, host accessible meetings, and actively represent marginalised groups, including those in informal settlements and people living with disabilities. While major political parties such as the ANC, DA, and EFF have outlined manifesto priorities such as water, electricity, housing, safety, and fighting corruption, MVC argued that actual delivery remains a deep concern. M-PAM aims to disrupt this cycle by shifting the focus away from party rhetoric. "Too often, election debates begin with what political parties are promising, rather than with what people are experiencing in their communities," explained MVC campaigns intern Thinam Mali. "M-PAM starts from the other direction. It asks citizens to look at the services they receive, the challenges they face... and then use that knowledge to interrogate the promises being made to them." MVC emphasised that marking a ballot paper is only the first step, adding that "true accountability" requires ongoing civic participation, including tracking local budgets and participating in consultations on municipal Integrated Development Plans. Project lead Keamogetswe Seipato explained that local government elections dictate the precise conditions in which people live every day. "Citizens therefore need more than promises. They need the information and tools to question those promises, assess performance and hold elected representatives accountable," Seipato said. Click here to read the full report.

  2. 6h ago

    DA launches relentless final campaign push following surge in latest polls

    DA launches relentless final campaign push following surge in latest polls The DA has announced it will work relentlessly over the next month to secure outright majorities in the City of Tshwane, City of Johannesburg, and the City of Cape Town municipalities, in its aim to "rescue" these key metros from what it terms the "chaos of unstable coalitions". This aggressive campaign strategy comes in response to the latest News24/SABI poll, which the DA said confirms a significant, tangible shift in South African politics. DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis noted that the poll indicates that his party is now within five percentage points of the ANC nationally. Furthermore, the data reveals that the DA is the most favourably viewed party among polled voters and holds the leading position across almost all surveyed metros, except for eThekwini. Hill-Lewis stated that the poll awards the DA the best net favourability score among all the political parties tested. He said in the City of Tshwane the DA leads the ANC by eight points, in the City of Johannesburg Helen Zille is currently leading the mayoral race and, in the City of Cape Town, voters expressed a markedly more positive outlook regarding the direction of their city compared with their views on the direction of South Africa as a whole. The DA's message targets the recent history of hung councils. Hill-Lewis pointed out that South Africans have witnessed local councils collapse into instability and endless political bargaining. He argued that these coalition governments spend more time fighting over political positions than fixing roads, collecting refuse, or keeping communities safe. "We cannot afford another five years of that. That is why every DA supporter must turn out on election day. A clear DA majority means a stable government that can get straight to work delivering for residents," he said. The party claims that a "genuine political shift" is occurring across South Africa, with more voters looking beyond the "old politics of decline" and moving toward a party with a proven track record of service delivery. Despite the positive polling, Hill-Lewis maintained that the party remains cautious. "We will take nothing for granted. For the remaining weeks of this campaign, we will fight for every ward, every community, and every vote — to win the strongest possible mandate to make South Africa work, for everyone," he concluded.

  3. 6h ago

    Court orders oral evidence over Dlamini-Zuma’s ANC vote-buying claims

    Court orders oral evidence over Dlamini-Zuma's ANC vote-buying claims In a major legal development shaking the ANC, the High Court has directed that the defamation dispute between party veteran Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula must be resolved through oral evidence. Following the decision, Mbalula clarified that the judgment does not validate the allegations made against him. The legal fallout erupted after Dlamini-Zuma alleged, during an appearance on the African Renaissance Podcast hosted by former EFF MP Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, that illicit financial influence heavily dictated internal ANC election outcomes. Specifically, she accused Mbalula and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola of vote-buying at the ANC's fifty-fourth National Conference in 2017. Furthermore, she alleged that Mbalula "dished out money" at a clinic facility during the fifty-fifth National Conference in 2022 to secure his position and protect President Cyril Ramaphosa's leadership. In response to the broadcast, Mbalula initiated defamation proceedings to clear his name, while simultaneously referring Dlamini-Zuma to the ANC Integrity Commission. Mbalula petitioned the court for an order compelling Dlamini-Zuma to issue an immediate retraction and apology. Acting Judge HM Viljoen declined to grant the immediate order for retraction sought by Mbalula. Instead, the court determined that the core factual disputes, and the gravity of the allegations, are better evaluated through witness testimonies and oral evidence under oath. Dlamini-Zuma, who has filed a formal notice of intention to oppose the suit, welcomed the ruling. "The Court has made no such order [for retraction. It has directed instead that the central factual question be determined on oral evidence from us and witnesses. I remain committed to cooperating with the Court's processes," Dlamini-Zuma stated. Standing firmly by her initial remarks, Dlamini-Zuma emphasised that the litigation serves as a necessary inflection point for the ruling party. She argued that if the ANC is to genuinely achieve organisational renewal, it must confront the role of money in its elective processes. Out of respect for the judiciary, she indicated she would no longer debate the merits of the case in the public domain. Meanwhile, Mbalula also welcomed the court's decision to test the veracity of the statements under oath, noting that the judge did not dismiss the matter outright as Dlamini-Zuma had requested. However, Mbalula was quick to clarify that the judgment does not validate the allegations made against him. "The factual dispute remains to be determined after the evidence of the relevant witnesses has been tested under oath. I welcome that process. I have consistently maintained that the allegations are false and I have nothing to hide," Mbalula said. He rejected any public commentary suggesting that the court's refusal to issue an immediate retraction served as a vindication of Dlamini-Zuma's claims. "It has not," Mbalula clarified. "The Court has made no finding that I distributed money to delegates, bought votes or otherwise corrupted the electoral process at the ANC's fifty-fifth National Conference. I will allow the evidence to be tested in court, where it belongs, rather than conduct the remainder of this matter through public statements and political commentary."

  4. 3d ago

    Developing countries hit by overlapping crises, UNDP chief warns

    Developing countries hit by overlapping crises, UNDP chief warns Rising energy costs, a super El Nino and soaring borrowing costs are increasing pressure on developing countries, with conditions nearing those of the pandemic when the G20 suspended debt payments for the poorest nations, the United Nations Development Programme said on Friday. Global policymakers are expected to discuss the huge challenges facing developing countries at the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in the Thai capital Bangkok from October 12 to 18, UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo told reporters. He warned events could trigger a "domino effect with many, many countries being pushed into financial distress," but stopped short of calling for a new round of debt relief. The IMF-World Bank meetings will bring together top financial officials from around the world for talks on the global economy, AI, climate change and other challenges, as government borrowing costs hit their highest in several decades on heightened concerns about inflation as the Iran war drives up energy prices. At the same time, the strongest El Nino weather effect since 1950 is expected to trigger more floods in some regions and droughts in others, plunging an expected 49-million more people into food insecurity by the end of 2027. De Croo said UNDP surveys conducted since the start of the war showed it had morphed from a regional conflict to "a crisis which has an impact on approximately 100 countries." Many governments have taken steps to shield their citizens from the surge in oil prices but their fiscal coffers are now running low and their debt levels are rising, with no real relief in sight, he said, adding that countries should focus on measures to help the most vulnerable. While some countries were diversifying their energy sources and adapting their food systems, those efforts would take time, leaving them in a "really tough, tough spot" for now, he said. SUBSIDY BURDEN UNDP chief economist George Gray Molina said a major shift was seen in September, as some governments began to allow higher energy prices to flow through to citizens, and started rolling back subsidies, tax relief and other steps that had kept food and energy prices largely in check since the war began. "That means that they're not able to contain fiscally and financially that burden," he said. "We think that this is a significant issue that needs to be discussed." Even middle-income countries had rapidly depleted their fiscal buffers as they raced to mitigate rising energy prices, he said. Molina said bond market and oil price developments over the next 60 days would be crucial. Higher prices had already contributed to protests and social unrest in 10 countries in September, UNDP said. And many countries expect conditions to deteriorate. Twenty-two of 26 nations surveyed by UNDP rated the crisis as a high or medium priority; 13 said it came on top of an existing economic or fiscal crisis, and all 26 judged that the worst was still to come.

  5. 3d ago

    Fuel subsidies may top $1tr as Iran war drags, UN says

    Fuel subsidies may top $1tr as Iran war drags, UN says Governments around the world are running out of room to shield consumers from higher energy prices resulting from the Iran war and other crises, with fuel subsidies potentially costing more than $1 trillion this year, a United Nations study found. Global policy interventions to cushion the impact of rising food and energy prices will become more difficult to sustain as a result of higher borrowing costs and what's on track to be the strongest El Niño on record, according to a UN Development Programme report released Friday. The UNDP warned the next couple of months will be particularly important for governments that have deployed price caps, subsidies and tax rebates as oil nears $100-a-barrel and elevated borrowing costs squeeze already strained budgets. "The horizon over the next few weeks and months is uncertain because we don't see a very clear pathway out of the three-pronged crisis," said UNDP's chief economist George Gray Molina, pointing to the Iran war, borrowing costs and the weather phenomenon El Niño. The UNDP analysis — which looked at data from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the International Energy Agency — found the number of countries deploying different relief measures nearly doubled between April and September as the war's impact continued. If countries hadn't provided relief measures, an additional 130 million people could have fallen below the $6.85-a-day poverty line this year, the report said. And the pressure is only expected to rise, with the combined shocks projected to peak in early 2027, especially given the expected impact of this year's El Niño — where unusually warm ocean conditions can lead to floods and droughts that can worsen food insecurity. In September, higher energy prices contributed to protests and social unrest in at least 10 countries, including Syria, Guatemala, the Philippines, France and Portugal, the report said. An additional September survey of 26 UNDP offices around the world found that 25 of them expect the Middle East crisis to remain or become a greater priority in the next six months and that all of the agency's locations predicted "the worst is yet to come."

  6. 3d ago

    Mass shootings show the face of South African murder is changing

    Mass shootings show the face of South African murder is changing On a recent Saturday night, a minibus taxi drew up to a tavern in the gold-mining town of Carletonville west of Johannesburg. Eight men armed with AK-47 rifles alighted from the vehicle before gunning down patrons. Eighteen people died. "They entered the main entrance of the tavern and started shooting randomly," said Mfuneko Dyosini, adding that two colleagues from the gold mine he works at were killed in the massacre. "They all died on the spot." Just hours after the September 26 attack another 10 people were shot dead at an entertainment venue near Cape Town. Days earlier gunmen stormed a house in the coastal city of Durban, killing 11. While South Africa has long struggled with one of the world's highest homicide rates, the nature of murder in the country is changing. While most of those killed die at the hands of people they know, an increasing number are being killed in mass shootings linked to competition among criminals as organised crime becomes increasingly entrenched in the economy. Drugs, extortion, illegal mining and violence between the operators of mini-bus taxi routes are the most-often cited motives. "Mass killings don't just happen out of nowhere," said Julian Rademeyer, a senior adviser at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime. "The aim is to sow terror, to terrorise the community, to potentially terrorise any rivals who may be coming up, and also to take vengeance against your known competitors." At least 210 people have been killed in 45 attacks this year that GI-TOC classifies as mass shootings — those involving at least three deaths. Thirty-six of those attacks were in Gauteng, the country's economic hub and the center of its gold-mining industry, and the Western Cape, where Cape Town is plagued by gang violence. Of the attacks, 31 occurred since the beginning of June. Sixty-seven of 83 deaths that were tied to a motive were linked to gang conflict, extortion and illegal mining. "This year there seems to be a far more pronounced increase in mass killings," Rademeyer said. "These events seem to have gained momentum quite sharply, from about June onwards." The deaths come even as the country's overall homicide rate is declining, with the 5 426 people murdered between April and June — a 5.9% drop from the same period last year. The decline comes even as President Cyril Ramaphosa was compelled to address the nation on the issue of violence against women with the bodies of 11 women found in an area east of Johannesburg since July 15. What the mass killings do represent is the growth of organised crime, with the World Bank estimating criminal activity cost South Africa $40-billion in 2023. South Africa ranked seventh in a 2025 GI-TOC index of 193 countries affected by organised crime, lagging behind only the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. Among the most prevalent crimes, according to the organisation, are extortion and protection racketeering, mineral smuggling, the drugs trade and arms trafficking. And there are few consequences for criminals with only about one-in-10 murders resulting in a conviction. The police force is riven by corruption and arms are now more freely available, according to Rademeyer. "There's always been a steady pool of weapons and ammunition available that has increased quite sharply in recent years," he said. "There's leakages of weapons from state stockpiles, from the police." A commission of inquiry into allegations that criminal syndicates have infiltrated South Africa's criminal justice system has been running for more than a year. The police minister has been placed on leave and at least 14 senior officers have been suspended. "The state quite clearly has lost control of the crime situation," said David Africa, executive director of the African Centre for Security and Intelligence Praxis. "We have a police service that has failed."

  7. 4d ago

    Franz Ruch appointed seventh MPC member

    Franz Ruch appointed seventh MPC member Economist Franz Ruch has been appointed as an adviser to the governors of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), effective October 1. As part of the appointment, he will serve as the seventh member of the central bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). Ruch joins the SARB from global financial institution the World Bank, where he served as a senior economist and led and contributed to research, technical analysis and publications, including the World Bank's 'Global Economic Prospects' report. He previously worked in the SARB's Economic Research Department, where he developed and operated economic models and contributed to the central bank's Monetary Policy Review. As a seasoned economist, the SARB says Ruch brings extensive monetary policy expertise to his new role. Ruch holds a PhD from Stellenbosch University, in the Western Cape, and a Master's degree from the University of Oxford, in the UK.

  8. 4d ago

    South African food inflation rose in August, ending six months of decline

    South African food inflation rose in August, ending six months of decline South African food and non-alcoholic beverage (NAB) inflation (hereafter to be referred to simply as food inflation, for short) rose in both year-on-year and month-on-month terms in August, the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) has reported, in its latest Food Inflation Brief. In year-on-year terms, food inflation in August was up 1.1% (as against a 0.9% increase in July), while the month-on-month figure was 0.1% (compared with -0.2% deflation in July). However, year-on-year Consumer Price Index (CPI) headline inflation in August was 4.4% (up from 4.3% in July). Month-on-month CPI headline inflation in August was 0%, which was a decrease over the July figure of 0.2%. The food categories which saw the highest year-on-year inflation in August were fish and seafood, at 7.5%, NAB (4.9%), oils and fats (2.6%), dairy and eggs (2.1%), sugar and sugar-rich foods (2%) and meat (1.5%). Those categories which experienced deflation were vegetables (-0.6%), cereal products (-1.9%), and fruits and nuts (-5.5%). As for month-on-month inflation in August, the highest rates were recorded for fruit and nuts (2.7%), fish and seafood (1.1%), meat (0.4%), NAB (also 0.4%), oils and fats (0.3%), and dairy and eggs (0.2%). No food categories saw month-on-month deflation. "Year-on-year inflation on popular items in the food basket of lower-income households (such as tomatoes, onions, bananas, canned pilchards, tea, polony and cooking oil) could reduce the ability of these households to achieve adequate energy intake as well as nutritional diversity," pointed out the BFAP. "However, year-on-year price deflation on main starchy staples such as maize meal and rice could provide relief in household budgets, while year-on-year deflation on protein-rich foods such as beef and legumes could improve economic access to protein-rich foods." The cost of the BFAP's Thrifty Healthy Food Basket (THFB) came to R3 935 in August. This was a 0.94%, or R7, increase, in year-on-year terms, but a -0.8%, or -R30, decrease, month-on-month. The THFB provides a nutritionally balanced adequate energy diet, composed of 26 food items from all food categories, for a reference family of two adults and two children, for a month. Of the items within the THFB, most vegetables, bananas, canned pilchards and oil saw year-on-year price increases, but the prices of maize meal, rice, potatoes, cabbage, eggs, apples and beef went down. Assuming the reference family earned two minimum wages and two child support grants, the THFB would have cost them 30% of their total household income in August. This was pretty much the same as the 30.4% that was the average for the least affluent 50% of South African households. The BFAP has also created an Adequate Energy Basket (AEB), designed to provide enough energy for the daily survival of the same reference household. This, however, lacks adequate dietary diversity. In August, the AEB cost R1 155, less than 33% of the cost of the THFB. "Food commodity price movements are expected to remain relatively moderate in the coming months. Meat prices are likely to continue trending lower as vaccination efforts against animal diseases, particularly [Foot-and-Mouth Disease] and bird flu, progress, and slaughter activity gains further month-on-month momentum," concludes the BFAP. "However, several upside risks to the food inflation outlook remain in the medium-term. The recent decision by the Reserve Bank to increase the repo rate by 25 basis points will raise borrowing costs, adding to pressure from higher production inputs, particularly fuel and fertiliser, should geopolitical tensions in the Middle East persist. At the same time, the anticipated (super) El Niño weather cycle could affect yields, resulting in lower summer crop production heading into 2027, potentially placing upward pressure on food prices over the medium term. Nevertheless, large carry-over stocks accu...

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Polity.org.za offers a unique take on news, with a focus on political, legal, economic and social issues in South Africa and Africa, as well as international affairs. Now you can listen to the top three articles on Polity at the end of each day.

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