LOCAL ELECTIONS 2026: New rule: DA will ringfence water, electricity revenue for services
The DA wants to double the number of municipalities it governs and on Saturday outlined its national election manifesto in Johannesburg.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) unveiled plans on Saturday, 8 August 2026, for new election rules governing municipalities in South Africa. In Johannesburg, party leader Geordin Hill-Lewis announced that every rand collected for water and electricity services will be ring-fenced and strictly allocated to maintaining and repairing those systems.
This rule aims to prevent funds from being diverted into political projects or wasteful spending. The DA, currently governing 31 municipalities out of the country's 257, plans to expand its reach to 60. Polls show the DA leading nationally with 27% support, followed by the ANC at 34%. Hill-Lewis urged citizens to participate in the upcoming 4 November local government elections, stressing that every vote counts, citing a May victory in Ward 28, Emfuleni, won by just eight votes.
The party highlights a stronger record of clean audits in DA-run municipalities, with over 60% achieving this status compared to roughly 5% for ANC-run municipalities. However, recent reports have highlighted service delivery failures and governance issues in DA-run municipalities, such as in the City of Cape Town. The DA pledges to focus on financial management, clean governance, job creation for qualified professionals, increased law-enforcement in unsafe areas, and improved service delivery.
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