The FW de Klerk Foundation notes National Treasury’s decision to withhold transfers to non-compliant municipalities and Parliament’s call for their urgent compliance. These developments confirm what has become crystal clear: Many municipalities across South Africa faces a deep and persistent governance crisis.
The FW de Klerk Foundation notes with concern Parliament’s Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and Creative Industries’ criticism about the Department of Basic Education’s communication on school sanitation. The Foundation shares Parliament’s concern that government must present an accurate picture of the challenges that remain. Parliament’s oversight visits to schools in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and North West found that many learners still use unsafe toilets and attend schools without reliable water. No child should face these conditions.
Civil society organisations and individuals urge Parliament to act without delay to finalise its consideration of the Electoral Reform Consultation Panel’s report, warning that the window to secure meaningful electoral reform before the 2029 national and provincial elections is rapidly closing.
The FW de Klerk Foundation has formally written to Parliament to request urgent clarity on the programme, process and timelines for finalising its consideration of the Electoral Reform Consultation Panel’s (“ERCP”) consolidated report.
The FW de Klerk Foundation and its partners have released the free downloadable PDF version of Whose Responsibility Is It Anyway? The Local Government Election Guide 2026. Written in clear and accessible language, the guide explains local government, voter registration, municipal accountability and the importance of participating in the 2026 local elections. It is the first instalment of a three-part civic-education series designed to help South Africans move from registration to informed participation and continued accountability.
The FW de Klerk Foundation urges Parliament to act to ensure that public funds are used efficiently, economically, effectively, and transparently. The Foundation is concerned about the repair and maintenance project at Tshwane’s 1 Military Hospital. More than R1 billion has been spent, yet the project remains incomplete. Government is now considering a new facility.
The FW de Klerk Foundation and its partners have launched Whose Responsibility Is It Anyway?, a new digital guide designed to help South Africans, particularly young voters, navigate the 2026 Local Government Elections. The guide explains the role of local government, the rights and responsibilities of citizens, and the practical steps required to register and vote. As the first in a three-part series, it aims to strengthen constitutional literacy, democratic participation and accountability beyond election day.
The FW de Klerk Foundation welcomes the Presidency’s response to its research on the financial and constitutional cost of parliamentary disruptions. The Foundation’s analysis shows that disrupted sittings can cost taxpayers thousands of rand per minute while weakening Parliament’s duty to hold the Executive accountable. Following the Presidency’s encouragement, the Foundation will now engage Parliament directly on stronger accountability, consequence management and respect for South Africa’s constitutional institutions.
The FW de Klerk Foundation warns that municipal collapse is not merely a service-delivery failure, but a failure to honour the Constitution’s promise of democratic, accountable and development-oriented local government. With municipal debt to Eskom exceeding R130 billion and governance failures deepening across several municipalities, the Foundation argues that the 2026 Local Government Elections must become a genuine reckoning for elected officials and candidates. The Foundation calls for credible municipal recovery plans, ring-fenced service revenue, merit-based appointments and independent performance data to restore constitutional accountability at local level.
