GQEBERHA – Just days before South Africans head to the polls in local government elections on Wednesday, 4 November, a new Ipsos study reveals that more than half of registered voters distrust their local governments because of failing service delivery, deteriorating infrastructure and poor sanitation.
Only a quarter of South Africans over the age of 18 trust their current local governments, while more than half (55%) of registered voters are distrustful, according to a press release issued by global market research firm Ipsos on 2 November.
Ipsos, an international market research and opinion polling company, conducted the second 2026 wave of its regular Khayabus ‘Pulse of the People’ study from 12 September to 13 October.
A total of 3,454 randomly selected South Africans over the age of eighteen were interviewed face-to-face in their homes and home languages.
The study is designed to provide insight into the views of South Africans from all provinces, settlement types and backgrounds. Results were weighted and projected to the population of South Africans aged 18 years and older who are eligible to vote.
According to the press release, registered voters were filtered from the total sample and analysed separately. The views of all eligible South Africans did not vary more than two percentage points from those of registered voters in most cases.
“Whether we look at registered voters or the broader adult population, the message is largely the same, that confidence in local government remains limited. Trust ultimately is earned through visible performance, making a difference to citisens lived reality,” said Mari Harris, Political Analyst at Ipsos in South Africa.
Harris continued and said,”Residents often judge local governments through their everyday experiences of municipal services, infrastructure and community conditions. When these aspects of daily life are perceived to be deteriorating or failing, public trust becomes difficult to sustain.”
Key service delivery not up to standard
Many South Africans are concerned about whether municipalities are fulfilling some of their most basic responsibilities.
Infrastructure maintenance and reliable water and sanitation services emerged as significant concerns — two areas that directly affect residents’ daily lives and are often viewed as visible indicators of municipal competence.
More than two-thirds (68%) of registered voters agree that poor sanitation resulting from water interruptions poses a serious health risk in their communities.
Similarly, 66% believe current local governments do not sufficiently understand the importance of maintaining infrastructure required for reliable service delivery.
“Infrastructure maintenance often receives less attention than new development projects, but voters clearly recognise its importance. When water interruptions become frequent and unpredictable, sanitation systems fail or community infrastructure deteriorates, residents may begin to question whether municipalities are prioritising the long-term maintenance needed to sustain service delivery,” said Harris.
Concerns extend beyond basic services to lawlessness
Many registered voters also expressed concern about what they perceive to be declining adherence to rules and regulations within their communities, with two-thirds (66%) agreeing that South Africans increasingly disregard traffic regulations such as traffic lights and speed restrictions.
While all local governments are not responsible for traffic law enforcement, the finding points to wider concerns about governance, accountability and the functioning of systems that affect daily life.
“This finding about adherence to traffic rules is important because it speaks to broader perceptions of governance and accountability,” explains Harris. “For many residents, issues such as non-functioning traffic lights, deteriorating roads, dangerous driving behaviour and limited enforcement of bylaws are among the most visible ways they experience local governance in practice. These everyday experiences become indicators of whether local systems are functioning effectively, “according to her.
“While each issue may seem relatively minor in isolation, collectively they influence how residents assess the capacity of local institutions and local governments. If visible problems remain unresolved, people may begin to question whether more complex challenges are being addressed effectively,” notes Harris.
Voters want competence and technical expertise
Despite widespread dissatisfaction with current performance, voters appear to have clear expectations for future local governments.
Nearly seven in ten registered voters (69%) agree that newly elected local governments should prioritise appointing skilled and experienced local artisans and technicians after the elections.
The finding suggests that voters increasingly associate improved service delivery with municipal capacity and technical expertise rather than messaging from political appointees.
“Trust is not rebuilt through promises alone. For many voters, confidence in local government will depend on whether they see tangible improvements in the services and infrastructure they rely on every day,” Harris said.
“Voters appear to have fairly straightforward expectations of local government: maintain infrastructure, improve service delivery, strengthen accountability and ensure that municipalities have the technical capacity required to deliver essential services. Ultimately, confidence in local government will depend on what people experience in their communities after the election, not on what they heard during the political campaigns,”she believed.
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