PODCAST: Sol Plaatje — Kimberley’s second chance

The Northern Cape municipality is the start of South Africa’s diamond story. But what will it take for it to shine again? In this episode of South Africa’s Easy Elections Guide, journalist Nickolaus Bauer takes a look

Nickolaus Bauer

29 OCT 2026, 00:59

1 min read

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, the diamond city of Kimberley, in Sol Plaatje local municipality, comes into focus. It’s a mining and agricultural hub, capital of the Northern Cape and university city. But it’s struggled to transform into a functional modern city. Will the ANC be able to hold onto its shaky majority and do just that?