South Africa 2026 local elections: GNU fails to stabilize coalition politics, report warns

A new Coalition Barometer report finds that the Government of National Unity (GNU) has not altered the fragmented dynamics of local coalition politics in South Africa. The report warns that the 2026 local government elections could yield more hung councils and unstable coalitions, complicating governance. This signals persistent political instability at the municipal level, with implications for service delivery and investor confidence.