Local government is where politics gets real — your water, roads, rates, rubbish and electricity. But how much do we actually understand about the people and systems running our municipalities?
In a podcast brought to you by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, journalist Nickolaus Bauer cuts through the jargon, political noise and municipal mythology in South Africa’s Easy Elections Guide: Local Government 2026.
In this episode, he takes us to the Garden Route, the picturesque Western Cape district municipality that’s home to George and Knysna. It’s increasingly popular with both tourists and those looking for more relaxed living, but that comes with additional pressure on infrastructure and on government to deliver services. What’s the political lay of the land?