Corrections policy
This site publishes a great deal of data about institutions that matter, so it will sometimes be wrong. What matters is what happens next. This page sets out how we handle it.
How to report an error
Use the contact form and select “A correction to municipal data”. The most useful reports include:
- The municipality concerned.
- The specific figure, name or statement that is wrong, and where on the site it appears.
- What the correct value is.
- The source that shows it. A link to a published document, gazette or official page is ideal.
A report citing a source can usually be actioned the same day. One without a source takes longer, because we have to find the evidence ourselves before changing anything.
How we verify
We check the claim against the primary source: National Treasury for financial figures, Statistics South Africa for census data, the Municipal Demarcation Board for boundaries and codes, the Auditor-General for audit outcomes, the Electoral Commission for council composition, and the municipality itself for contact details and office holders.
Where our data disagrees with a source, we correct ours. Where two official sources disagree with each other, we say so on the page rather than silently choosing one.
How the fix is applied
Corrections are made against the underlying dataset, not by editing a single page. That matters because the same figure appears in several places: a municipality’s profile, the rankings, the map, the comparison tool and any article that cites it. Fixing the source means all of them change together, and none is left contradicting the others.
What we correct
- Factual errors in figures, names, titles, contact details, boundaries or classifications. Always, and as quickly as we can.
- Outdated information, particularly office holders, which change frequently between our data refreshes.
- Errors in our own analysis, including anything derived from the financial health grade. If the method itself is wrong, we change the method and say so.
What we will not change
We do not remove accurate information because it is unflattering. If a municipality received a disclaimer of audit, that is a published finding of the Auditor-General and it stays on the page. If you believe such a figure is wrong, the route is to show us the source that says otherwise.
We also do not remove the names of people who hold public office, since a directory of local government that omits who is responsible would not serve its purpose.
If you are the municipality
We welcome corrections directly from municipalities, and they get priority. Please send them from an official address, or point us to the published source, so we can confirm the correction is authorised.
Data refresh
Financial data is published quarterly by National Treasury, and we refresh from it. Census data changes only when Statistics South Africa publishes a new census. Office holders change continuously, and are the most likely thing on this site to be out of date at any given moment.