The main objective of this research project is to assess the impact of HIV/AIDS on South African local government, as this level of government has been inadequately studied to date. The study uses the prism of electoral democracy to investigate the extent to which HIV/AIDS may contribute to state fragility and its potential consequences for state sustainability in South Africa. This research project is expected to provide valuable insights into the extent of attrition to AIDS amongst political elites, the underlying causes and levels of stigma amongst the elected representatives and the new challenges faced by their constituencies in participating in the democratic process. It seeks to determine the operational impacts of the illness and mortality on the council and municipal functioning and conclusions will be drawn about the extent to which these deaths are influencing the quality of democracy and thus the stability of the state.