Stay informed with our essential overview of the key events and discussions set to shape the week in South Africa – covering developments in parliament, government, international affairs, and the economy.

Monday – 7 September 2026

• ANC to Challenge Candidate Disqualifications at Electoral Court

The African National Congress plans to approach the Electoral Court to challenge the Electoral Commission’s decision to disqualify almost 200 of its candidates from registering for the November 4 municipal elections, after the party failed to submit its full candidate list by last Friday’s deadline. The appeal is expected to fail, with several members of the party’s national executive committee calling for accountability from secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.

• IEC Substitution Window Offers ANC Limited Reprieve

The Electoral Commission’s deadline for parties to substitute candidates on their lists has now passed, and the Commission will publish final candidate lists next Friday, September 18. The ANC may still be able to swap names on its proportional representation lists, but is unlikely to be able to add ward candidates in areas where none are currently registered. The scope for the ANC to recover lost ground before the final lists are published is narrow, meaning any electoral fallout from the disqualifications will likely persist through the campaign period.

Tuesday – 8 September 2026

• Stats SA to Release Second-Quarter GDP Data

Statistics South Africa will publish gross domestic product figures for the second quarter on Tuesday morning. Economists expect growth to fall short of the first quarter’s 0.5% quarter-on-quarter expansion, with some forecasting a contraction driven by weaker mining and manufacturing output and the impact of sharply higher fuel prices. A confirmed contraction would sharpen scrutiny of the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy stance and add pressure on Treasury’s growth assumptions ahead of the medium-term budget.

Thursday – 10 September 2026

• President Ramaphosa Departs for BRICS Summit

President Cyril Ramaphosa will depart for New Delhi on Thursday to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, held over the weekend at Bharat Mandapam and preceded by the BRICS Business Forum on Friday. Discussions will cover cross-border payments, supply chain resilience, trade, artificial intelligence, geopolitical tensions and energy security. Outcomes on cross-border payment systems and trade cooperation could shape South Africa’s positioning within alternative financial architecture and its trade relationships with fellow BRICS members.

• Stats SA to Release July Mining Production Data

Statistics South Africa will release mining production figures for July on Thursday morning. The sector has recorded sharp year-on-year declines in recent months, driven partly by a 20% increase in diesel prices following the conflict in the Middle East, though elevated commodity prices, including platinum up 40% and gold up 26% year on year, have cushioned the impact. Persistently high input costs continue to squeeze margins even as favourable commodity prices support revenue, a dynamic that will keep capital allocation and cost-control decisions under pressure across the mining sector.

• Stats SA to Release July Manufacturing Production Data

Statistics South Africa will publish manufacturing production data for July on Thursday afternoon. Analysts expect a further year-on-year contraction, broadly in line with June’s 1.7% decline, as elevated diesel costs continue to raise input prices and July’s weaker Purchasing Managers’ Index points to subdued factory activity. Sustained weakness in manufacturing output reinforces the risk that Tuesday’s GDP release confirms a second-quarter contraction.

Friday – 11 September 2026

• Mkhwanazi Ad Hoc Committee Faces Reporting Deadline

Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi must submit its report to the National Assembly by Friday. The committee has recently been marked by infighting, with MK Party members accusing the Patriotic Alliance of shielding former SAPS deputy head of crime intelligence Feroz Khan. The committee’s findings, and the manner in which they are delivered, will influence confidence in Parliament’s oversight of the police service and broader law enforcement institutions.