As South Africa prepares for the municipal elections on 4 November 2026, the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has urged peace and fairness, embracing the spirit of ubuntu.
This message was issued in a pastoral letter signed by SACBC President Stephen Cardinal Brislin of Johannesburg.
“Our prayer is that the 2026 municipal elections will be peaceful, free, and fair. We therefore call on all stakeholders — political parties, independent candidates, the media, civil society, and state institutions — to act responsibly. Every citizen must be able to vote without fear. The rule of law must be respected, and election results must be accepted in a spirit of peace and responsibility,” the bishops stated.
The bishops lamented that “many of our municipalities are not working as they should,” adding that citizens suffer hardships such as “water shortages, uncollected waste, poorly maintained roads and lack of facilities for recreation for our youth.”
They pointed out deep-rooted issues like nepotism, corruption, organized crime taking over municipalities, unstable coalition politics, placing loyalists in key municipal roles, a lack of professionalism in public service, and turning ward committees—meant for accountability—into political tools.
The bishops indicated the crisis goes beyond politics, urging citizens to take ownership of the decline in public life.
They decried infractions that directly undermine community well-being, especially “the non-payment of municipal services, culture of bribing the staff at municipal offices, illegal electricity connections, unlawful occupation of land, vandalism of infrastructure, illegal dumping of waste, and the rise of violent crime”
The bishops noted that these factors lead to “a weakening of our sense of the common good — the spirit of ubuntu — both in our politics and in our daily lives.”
They called on the electorate, especially the youth, not to “remain at home” but to come out en masse to vote on November 4.
Providing an outline of practical imperatives for both voters and leaders, the bishops urged the people to “choose life” in the context of the 2026 ballot.
They encouraged voters to elect leaders truly committed to serving their communities with honesty and dedication.
The bishops urged everyone to practice responsible citizenship by respecting public infrastructure like clinics and roads while rejecting vandalism and lawlessness.
They cautioned against supporting public officials who embrace corruption and nepotism, and called on political parties to prioritize cooperation in coalition governments over narrow partisan agendas.
The pastoral letter also pushed for protecting ward committees from political interference so they can genuinely serve residents.
Acknowledging that local elections often bring tension, the bishops appealed to political parties, independent candidates, the media, civil society, and state institutions to act responsibly.
Entrusting the nation to God, the Fathers of the Church prayed for wisdom and courage for Southern leaders to uphold justice and human dignity.
“May the Lord guide our leaders, strengthen our communities, and inspire all citizens to act with wisdom and courage. May He bless all those who work to ensure that the elections are fair and transparent. And may He help us to build a society where justice, peace, and human dignity are respected by all. Through Christ our Lord. Amen,” the bishops concluded.
Advocatus Africa gathered that 620 political parties signed up to take part in the elections to choose councils for all districts, metropolitan areas, and local municipalities across the country’s nine provinces. A total of 4,488 voting districts are heading to the elections.
