The GOOD Party has formally nominated Cllr Marius van Stade as its mayoral candidate for Stellenbosch Municipality in the 6 September 2026 local government election, the party announced in a statement on 10 September. Van Stade has served on the municipal council for five years.
Campaign priorities and local focus
Van Stade framed his candidacy around the argument that Stellenbosch’s prosperity should be shared more broadly. In the party statement he listed rising living costs, municipal tariffs, housing shortages, unemployment and deteriorating safety as the main pressures on residents.
“People are struggling to make ends meet. Informal settlements are becoming normalised, young people are desperate for jobs, and too many residents are living in fear. This cannot become the new normal.”
The GOOD Stellenbosch campaign will concentrate on four main pillars: Economic Justice, Social Justice, Spatial Justice and Environmental Justice. The statement said these priorities would guide policy proposals on jobs, housing, service delivery, transport, water security and waste management.
- Economic Justice: jobs, support for local business and entrepreneurship, and translating investment into employment.
- Social Justice: dignified housing, reliable municipal services, safer communities and youth development.
- Spatial Justice: improved access to housing, land, transport and employment across all areas of Stellenbosch.
- Environmental Justice: water security, flood resilience, waste management and responsible development.
Ward-level outreach and accountability
Van Stade said he would take the campaign into communities through an initiative he calls “Marius Listens”, which the statement says will reach neighbourhoods including Kayamandi, Idas Valley, Cloetesville, Jamestown, Pniël, Kylemore and surrounding rural areas. He emphasised listening to residents before proposing solutions, and promised to be judged on a five-year record of council accountability.
The statement characterised Van Stade’s council tenure as one of asking difficult questions and challenging decisions when communities were not being heard. It said he was ready to “take accountability and community advocacy to the next level”.
What this means for Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch is a municipality where the visible wealth of tourism, higher education and wine contrasts with persistent challenges in informal settlements and service delivery. The GOOD Party’s platform is pitched to voters who feel excluded from the municipality’s economic gains and worried about basic services and safety.
How much traction Van Stade gains will depend on several practical factors: the party’s local campaign organisation, its ability to present specific and fundable proposals for housing and service upgrades, and whether it can persuade voters in wards where incumbents or larger parties have established networks. The candidate’s promise of door-to-door listening is a standard tactic in local campaigns, but converting listening exercises into deliverable municipal plans and budgets is the core test for any prospective mayor.
| Priority | Main focus |
|---|---|
| Economic Justice | Jobs, local business support, investment that creates work |
| Social Justice | Housing, services, safety, youth development |
| Spatial Justice | Access to housing, land, transport and opportunities |
| Environmental Justice | Water security, flood resilience, waste management |
The party statement did not include detailed policy instruments or costed programmes. For residents, the coming weeks will be important for testing how these broad priorities translate into ward-level commitments and whether they can be matched to municipal budgets and the statutory powers of local government.
Stellenbosch voters will now see Van Stade join a crowded field of candidates across parties seeking the municipal mayoralty. The local election campaign is likely to centre on service delivery, housing and job creation — issues Van Stade highlights — as well as questions about fiscal management, rates and tariffs that affect household expenses.
GOOD’s announcement formalises its electoral offer in Stellenbosch. Voters will assess that offer against alternatives during the campaign leading up to 6 September.
