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 – 9 November 2026

• Coalition Negotiations Begin as Local Government Election Results Are Finalised

With the 2026 local government elections concluded and the Electoral Commission of South Africa having announced the results on Sunday, attention this week turns to the formation of councils. The Democratic Alliance has surged nationally while the African National Congress is set to lose its majority in all of the major metros, and parties across the spectrum have begun coalition talks in hung councils, with as many as 160 councils potentially requiring co-governance. Announcements on mayoral candidates, coalition agreements and the first sittings of new councils are expected throughout the week and will set the tone for service delivery, budget stability and investor confidence in South Africa’s cities over the next five years.

• United Nations Drugs and Crime Chief Visits Drakenstein for Nelson Mandela Rules Engagement

Correctional services national commissioner Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale will host United Nations under-secretary-general and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime executive director Monica Juma at the Nelson Mandela Rules Academy at Drakenstein Correctional Centre in Paarl on Monday. The academy was established with technical support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Discussions will focus on implementing the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the Nelson Mandela Rules, and on strengthening international and regional cooperation on prison reform, rehabilitation and professional training.

Tuesday – 10 November 2026

• Statistics South Africa to Release Third-Quarter Labour Force Survey

Statistics South Africa will publish the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the third quarter of 2026 on Tuesday. The second-quarter survey showed the official unemployment rate rising to 33.6% from 32.7% in the first quarter, with youth unemployment climbing 1.5 percentage points to 47.4%. Economists at Nedbank expect a modest further deterioration, citing higher oil and fuel prices that have increased input, transport and distribution costs for businesses, while Investec’s Lara Hodes forecasts a slight easing to 33%.

• September Manufacturing Production Data Expected to Confirm Sustained Decline

Statistics South Africa will also release September manufacturing production figures on Tuesday. Output contracted 4.3% year on year in August, and Investec expects a further 4% decline in September, with the revised Absa manufacturing purchasing managers’ index remaining below the neutral 50-point mark at 48.7. The recent rebasing of South Africa’s gross domestic product reduced manufacturing’s share of national output to 11.9% from 12.4%, pushing it from the third to the fourth largest industry.

• South African Nuclear and Clean Energy Conference Opens in Gauteng

The South African Nuclear and Clean Energy Conference begins in Gauteng on Tuesday and runs into Wednesday. It brings together government and energy sector representatives to discuss nuclear energy development, small modular reactors, clean energy infrastructure funding and South Africa’s international energy commitments. The second day will focus on implementation roadmaps for technology adoption and industrial policy. The conference will test whether government’s renewed interest in nuclear generation, including small modular reactors, is moving from aspiration towards a procurement and financing pathway.

• Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Begins Coastal Fisheries Consultations

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment will hold public consultations on draft policy frameworks for small-scale and commercial marine fisheries in Hondeklip Bay in the Northern Cape on Tuesday. The process continues in Elands Bay in the Western Cape on Thursday, where the department will consider coastal marine living resources and proposed adjustments to fisheries policy. These consultations will shape the allocation framework between small-scale and commercial fishing rights for years to come, with direct implications for fishing companies, processors, exporters and coastal communities.

Wednesday – 11 November 2026

• Integrated Justice System National Conference Marks 30 Years of the Constitution

The Integrated Justice System National Conference begins at the Sun City Convention Centre in the North West on Wednesday and runs until Friday. Convened to mark 30 years of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the conference will examine technological integration, case flow management and digitisation across the criminal justice system. The pace of digitisation across the police, prosecuting authority, courts and correctional services determines how quickly commercial disputes, fraud matters and regulatory prosecutions move through the system, and how reliably corporate South Africa can depend on the rule of law as an investment proposition.

Thursday – 12 November 2026

• Statistics South Africa to Publish September Mining Production Figures

Statistics South Africa will release September mining production data on Thursday. Mining output slumped 12.7% year on year in August, led by platinum group metals, coal and iron ore, and fell 5.4% month on month. Economists at Absa forecast a 2.3% month-on-month recovery in September, which would leave output down 10.7% year on year, but caution that uncertainty is high given the volatility of the series and the maintenance closure of Valterra’s precious metal refinery operations during the quarter. Alongside Tuesday’s manufacturing data, this release will largely determine whether third-quarter gross domestic product shows a contraction, which in turn shapes the South African Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee deliberations and National Treasury’s revenue outlook.