JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) has officially launched its ten-point plan for the 2026 Local Government Elections, positioning the manifesto as a blueprint of practical solutions to fix failing municipalities and champion community rights. Speaking on the party’s vision, FF Plus leader Dr Corné Mulder emphasized that the party will continue fighting until local economies grow through job creation and communities are afforded greater decision-making powers.
The manifesto, introduced to over 1,500 delegates at a recent weekend launch, builds on the party’s steady electoral growth, which has seen its council seats rise from 38 in 2011 to 67 in 2016, and 221 in 2021, alongside a vote share increase from 0.7% to 2.3% in the same period.
Core Pillars of the Ten-Point Plan
During the discussion, Dr Mulder detailed the manifesto’s priorities, which are structured around five core pillars:
- Competence First: An end to cadre deployment, political patronage, and race-based hiring policies, including broad-based black economic empowerment (BEE) quotas in municipal administrations. The party pledges to appoint qualified engineers, accountants, artisans, and project managers strictly on merit to restore technical capacity.
- Devolution of Power: Decentralizing administrative power to local ward committees, subcouncils, and smaller municipal entities to bring decision-making closer to communities. This includes supporting community-driven initiatives, city improvement districts, and local public-private partnerships.
- Infrastructure and Water Security: Ringfencing municipal maintenance budgets to repair leaking water pipes, upgrade sewage treatment works, and resurface deteriorating roads. This includes the “8% promise,” committing to spend at least 8% of the book value of municipal property, plant, and equipment annually on maintenance.
- Fiscal Discipline: Capping excessive property rate hikes and municipal tariff increases so they do not exceed inflation. The party also promises strict anti-corruption oversight to curb fruitless and wasteful expenditure in supply chain processes.
- Heritage, Language, and Local Economy: Halting unnecessary and costly street, town, and place name changes while protecting historical cultural sites. The plan also promotes multilingualism in municipal communication and service desks, alongside deregulating local business environments to attract private sector investment.
Coalition Red Lines and the GNU
Dr Mulder drew firm boundaries regarding future coalition governments, stating the FF Plus will not partner with the MK party or the EFF due to their “completely radical approaches.” He specifically challenged the Democratic Alliance (DA) to confirm it would not partner with the African National Congress (ANC) in Tshwane, asserting that the FF Plus and DA combined would have sufficient numbers to form a stable coalition without the ANC.
He also criticized the current Government of National Unity (GNU) at the national level, describing it as a “forced marriage” that started on the wrong foot. Dr Mulder argued the ANC remains completely dominant in economic policy and international relations within the GNU, which he deemed unacceptable.
Fiscal Reform and Local Accountability
Addressing municipal finances, Dr Mulder advocated for a “follow the money” approach, proposing that a substantial portion of rates and levies collected in a ward should be reinvested directly into that community. He criticized top-heavy municipal management structures, noting that in some councils, 80% of the budget goes to salaries, with some municipal managers earning more than the President.
When pressed on party discipline, Dr Mulder addressed the controversial Kuncliff development report in Tshwane. He confirmed that the local FF Plus caucus leader went “rogue” by supporting the report against party policy. The leader was subsequently investigated, removed from his position, and has since joined the DA.
Demographics, BEE, and Party Values
On the topic of BEE, Dr Mulder argued the policy has devolved into “black elite enrichment” over the past 30 years, failing to grow the economy or reduce unemployment. He insisted that municipal appointments must be based purely on merit, regardless of race. When asked for the racial demographics of the party’s 2026 candidates, Dr Mulder stated the FF Plus does not “tick a box” or keep track of race, though he affirmed the party fields numerous black, colored, and Indian candidates across the country.
He also defended the recent inclusion of Ronaldo Host into the FF Plus following his expulsion from the DA. Dr Mulder stated that a 30-year-old joke made by Host was taken out of context, noting Host was found not guilty in a DA disciplinary process before being forced out, and praised his current contributions to the party.
Rural Safety and International Relations
Dr Mulder clarified the party’s stance on rural safety, explicitly stating, “We’ve never said there’s a genocide” regarding white South Africans. However, he highlighted a “disproportionate situation,” noting that farmers and farm workers are seven times more likely to be murdered than anyone else, and condemned political parties that chant “kill the farmer.”
Defending a recent FF Plus delegation visit to the United States, Dr Mulder acknowledged the reality of the US as the world’s strongest economy and military power. He stated the engagement, which included discussions with the Trump administration following an executive order reaching out to South Africa, was aimed at securing foreign direct investment for the “99% of refugees that are going to stay” and build a successful South Africa. He dismissed claims that the visit backfired, noting that US-South Africa relations were already strained prior to the current administration.
Crime Prevention and Self-Determination
Responding to rising community crime, including recent incidents in the Kemp Park and Roadsfield areas, Dr Mulder promised better street lighting, CCTV implementation, and enhanced cooperation between Metro Police, the SAPS, private security, and local communities.
Finally, Dr Mulder championed a more federal approach to governance, citing Section 235 of the Constitution. He argued that decentralization and self-determination—allowing communities to make localized decisions on education, language, and services—would use South Africa’s diversity as a strength for nation-building, rather than enforcing a failing, centralized unitary system.
The Freedom Front Plus maintains that its center-right, traditional conservative values offer a distinct alternative to the center-left liberal approach of the DA, urging voters to support parties that align with their core principles ahead of the 2026 local elections.
