“ActionSA has launched its manifesto for South Africa’s 2026 Local Government Elections, focusing on basic services, municipal finances, professional administration, community safety, economic development and infrastructure. The party says it will not enter pre-election coalitions and wants any post-election coalition arrangements to be based on a clear programme of government, defined responsibilities and accountability.”
ActionSA unveils 2026 local government manifesto focused on municipal services, finances and safety
Johannesburg — ActionSA has launched its manifesto for South Africa’s 2026 Local Government Elections, placing reliable basic services, municipal financial management, professional administration, community safety and economic development at the centre of its campaign. The party says it will not enter pre-election coalitions and that any post-election coalition should be based on a clear programme of government, defined responsibilities and accountability.
The manifesto was launched in Johannesburg on 26 September 2026 by ActionSA president and Johannesburg mayoral candidate Herman Mashaba, with Cape Town mayoral candidate Dereleen James also participating in the campaign programme. Eyewitness News reported that the document sets out nine broad priorities, while IOL reported that the party is seeking to expand its municipal presence beyond the areas where it currently has representation.
The timing places the manifesto within an increasingly active local-election campaign. South Africans are scheduled to vote in the local government elections on 4 November, and the Electoral Commission has reported a large field of parties and candidates competing for municipal seats. The electoral environment has also included disputes over candidate lists, concerns about campaign conduct and debates over coalition government, making municipal policy proposals an important part of the campaign.
ActionSA’s central message is that municipalities should return to the practical delivery of services. According to the manifesto as reported by IOL, the party wants municipalities to prioritise reliable water and electricity, road maintenance, sewage infrastructure and refuse collection. Mashaba argued at the launch that deteriorating infrastructure and unreliable services are problems affecting municipalities across the country rather than Johannesburg alone.
Financial management is another major component. ActionSA proposes fully funded municipal budgets, stronger revenue collection, improved metering and billing systems, and financial recovery plans. The party also says municipal administrations should become more professional, with appointments based on qualifications, competence, experience and merit. Officials would be expected to meet defined performance standards, according to the manifesto.
The proposals reflect a broader debate about the capacity of municipalities to maintain infrastructure and provide basic services. Local governments depend on sound revenue systems and effective administration to fund everyday operations, while failures in billing, procurement, maintenance and financial controls can reduce the resources available for public services. ActionSA is therefore presenting financial management and service delivery as closely connected issues rather than separate campaign themes.
The party has also made corruption and procurement transparency central to its platform. It proposes greater transparency around tenders and contracts, investigations into suspicious conduct and protection for whistle-blowers. These commitments are presented as mechanisms for ensuring that public funds are directed towards infrastructure and services rather than being lost through fraud, inflated contracts or other forms of misconduct.
Community safety is another priority. ActionSA says municipalities should make greater use of municipal law-enforcement officers and focus on infrastructure theft, illegal connections, hijacked buildings and criminal syndicates. The manifesto also addresses illegal immigration, proposing that municipalities use their lawful powers while working with national institutions such as the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Police Service where national enforcement responsibilities apply.
The party’s economic proposals focus partly on making municipalities more accessible to businesses. ActionSA says it wants to reduce administrative red tape, establish turnaround times for approvals and improve access to municipal opportunities for small businesses. It also proposes measures intended to support young people with skills and work opportunities and to revitalise central business districts and town centres.
Housing and public spaces feature in the manifesto as well. ActionSA says municipalities should upgrade informal settlements where appropriate, speed up title-deed delivery and make greater use of municipal land for affordable housing. It also proposes improved public transport links and better maintenance of libraries, parks, sports facilities and other community spaces.
Environmental management forms another part of the programme. The party says municipalities should address illegal dumping, expand recycling and cooperate with waste pickers, businesses and communities to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. These proposals connect environmental concerns with municipal management, public health and the condition of neighbourhoods.
ActionSA is also setting out a position on coalition politics. Mashaba said the party would not enter pre-election coalitions. For possible post-election coalitions, however, ActionSA says agreements should be based on a clear programme of government, defined responsibilities and accountability. The party argues that coalition arrangements should focus on governing rather than distributing political positions.
ActionSA’s manifesto launch follows several other parties presenting their local-government platforms. SABC News reported on 26 September that the Patriotic Alliance placed illegal immigration and property ownership at the centre of its campaign, including proposals concerning municipal enforcement and title deeds. The Afrika Mayibuye Movement, led by Floyd Shivambu, also launched its manifesto in Thembisa, with jobs, water and service delivery among its stated priorities. These launches illustrate the range of issues parties are placing before voters.
The campaign is also unfolding alongside an electoral dispute involving proportional-representation candidate lists. IOL reported that the Democratic Alliance approached the Electoral Court over one-name PR lists submitted by ActionSA, the Economic Freedom Fighters, MK Party and GOOD. The DA argued that voters should have greater visibility of candidates who could represent them. The affected parties’ use of the electoral-list provisions is part of an ongoing legal and political debate ahead of the vote.
The IEC has separately been preparing parties and candidates for the election process. SABC News reported that parties and independent candidates had to sign sample ballots and receive candidate certificates as part of preparations for the November election. The report said close to 137,000 candidates would contest municipal seats nationally, with double-column ballots expected in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni because of the number of parties contesting proportional-representation seats.
Against this backdrop, ActionSA’s manifesto gives voters a detailed outline of what the party says it would prioritise in municipalities. Its proposals cover services, finance, administration, procurement, safety, economic development, housing, transport and environmental management. The practical question for voters will be how these commitments compare with the programmes and records of the other parties contesting their particular municipalities.
For ActionSA, the manifesto is also an effort to define the party’s role in the next phase of local government politics. The party is contesting the 4 November elections in dozens of municipalities and is seeking to expand its representation. Its campaign therefore combines policy commitments with a stated preference for accountable coalition arrangements where outright majorities are not achieved.
The broader election will give voters the opportunity to assess competing proposals on these issues. ActionSA is presenting one set of priorities, while other parties are advancing different combinations of service delivery, economic, safety, housing, immigration and governance policies. The significance of the manifesto therefore lies not only in the promises made by the party, but also in the choices voters will face across municipalities on 4 November.
As campaigning continues, attention is likely to remain on whether parties can translate broad commitments into measurable municipal programmes. Questions around budgets, staffing, infrastructure maintenance, procurement, accountability and coalition agreements will be central to that assessment. ActionSA’s launch has added another detailed platform to an increasingly crowded local-election debate, giving voters additional information about the party’s stated approach to municipal government.
