The municipality that turned its finances around — and got the national award to prove it

Six years of unglamorous good governance just earned Drakenstein Municipality in South Africa's Western Cape a national spotlight. It was named the most improved municipality in the country in the 2026 Municipal Financial Sustainability Index by Ratings Afrika, ranks among the top five nationally, and is the highest-ranked secondary city in South Africa. The award was presented at the SAPOA/Ratings Afrika Municipal Performance Awards in Sun City on October 1. No scandal, no drama — just budgets balanced, books kept, and services delivered, year after year. Competence compounds.