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Every South African calls a municipality home; every business relies on functioning local governments to earn a profit. Service delivery and the functioning of local government are critical to human dignity and economic growth, yet too many of the 257 municipalities are in a state of collapse or have already collapsed. 

The 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) needs to underscore the importance of local government in the functioning of the State, the adherence to human rights, and the support of economic activity. 

Municipalities are the closest sphere of government to the people, and Unite for Change argues that it is the most important sphere of government. 

Therefore, to get South Africa back on track, the following need to be addressed in the President’s speech on Thursday evening: 

• Coordinated water security plan: Close to 50% of potable water is wasted due to crumbling infrastructure. Cities, towns, and villages are without water, which violates the most basic of human rights. 

• Capacitating municipalities to keep people and property safe: Both people and property are unsafe. Communities cannot rely on the police, and local authorities turn a blind eye to the enforcement of by-laws. Moreover, public infrastructure is routinely damaged and stripped. Better coordination between the SAPS and local law enforcement is needed

• Arresting dysfunction and debt: Over 100 municipalities are operating on unfunded budgets and owe creditors—particularly Eskom and Water Boards—exorbitant amounts. This creates a cycle of dysfunction where municipal funds are spent on paying debts rather than advancing service delivery. This punctuates the need to accelerate funding reform for local government. 

Furthermore, municipalities need to be centres of excellence where the most capable and ethical technocrats and bureaucrats are given space to make the right decisions, not politically motivated ones. 

• Cutting out corruption: Municipalities have stopped providing services and have instead become feeding troughs for the corrupt. Municipalities must move away from manual processes and embark on a digitisation process. This will improve efficiency and cut out nefarious human intent. Moreover, the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) and the Hawks must act swiftly in removing the rot of corruption from local government. 

If we want to change the lives of South Africans, we need, as a matter of urgency, to repair and rebuild our municipalities so we can truly live in the country we all deserve. If the President does not place special emphasis on local government, he will have misdiagnosed the state of the nation. 

Issued by RISE Mzansi, BOSA and GOOD