As local government elections approach, discussions around the state of democracy in South Africa often centre on a critical paradox: while civic participation remains a cornerstone of the constitutional order, public trust in local institutions is at a historic low.

This special edition of the HSRC Connect delves further into what’s described as a watershed moment. In it, facilitator Dr Candice Groenewald speaks with HSRC researchers Dr Benjamin Roberts and Dr Alude Mahali about the changing relationship between young citizens, political institutions and the ballot box.

Key themes from the discussion

• The crisis of municipal delivery: Across many municipalities, persistent challenges involving basic service delivery; such as water, electricity, and waste management, directly impact citizens’ day-to-day lives and shape their perceptions of the state.
• Low trust and high risk: Research and surveys frequently highlight a growing disconnect between communities and local leadership. Citizens increasingly report feeling unheard, raising urgent questions about transparency, accountability, and the responsiveness of local councils.
• The role of research and oversight: Institutions like the HSRC play a vital role in measuring public sentiment through initiatives like election satisfaction surveys and governance studies, providing the empirical data needed to diagnose systemic institutional weaknesses.
• Ultimately, strengthening local democracy requires moving beyond standard electoral contestation to address the structural and governance gaps that affect citizens’ daily trust in public institutions.

Local Democracy at the Crossroads: Low Trust, High Risk and the 2026 Municipal Elections explores the challenges facing local governance and public trust ahead of the municipal elections.

Since the nineties, the HSRC has partnered with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to produce the Election Satisfaction Survey (ESS), a vital project that captures public feedback to safeguard the integrity and efficiency of the country’s elections. Read more about it here.