In brief
In provisional counts released by the Electoral Commission of South Africa, the ANC holds about 32% of the vote, the Democratic Alliance (DA) roughly 25%; the DA leads in Gauteng and Western Cape, while the MK Party tops KwaZulu-Natal. Coalition negotiations will determine city leadership as parties build majority blocs.
Provisional results from South Africa’s municipal elections, released by the Electoral Commission of South Africa late Thursday, show the ruling African National Congress (ANC) maintaining a narrow national lead over the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) as two‑thirds of valid votes were counted in Johannesburg on November 6, 2026.
Xinhua reported that the ANC had secured approximately 32 % of the vote compared with about 25 % for the DA, according to the IEC’s real‑time tallies. The figures also revealed that the ANC was ahead in six of the country’s nine provinces—North West, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Free State—while the DA led in Gauteng and Western Cape, and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, was ahead in KwaZulu-Natal.
The provisional data highlighted that the DA had the upper hand in metropolitan council contests, taking the lead in six of the eight metropolitan municipalities, including Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Nelson Mandela Bay and Mangaung. The DA was also on course to retain control of Cape Town, where it had secured about 62 % of the vote. Meanwhile, the MK Party was leading in eThekwini, the municipality that includes Durban.
At the municipal level, the IEC warned that the results remained provisional as counting, verification and auditing continued, and that the final collation process was expected to be completed by the weekend. It noted that coalition negotiations would become decisive in determining leadership in several major cities, particularly the metros of Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Nelson Mandela Bay. Because mayors are elected by municipal councils rather than directly by voters, parties that fail to secure an outright majority will need to negotiate with potential partners to form governing coalitions. The DA’s strong performance in metropolitan areas could strengthen its bargaining position, while the ANC may seek support from smaller parties to maintain influence.
In addition, the IEC observed that the MK Party’s gains in KwaZulu-Natal could give it greater leverage in the local coalition negotiations. The report also reminded readers that the ANC and the DA are partners in South Africa’s national Government of National Unity, which may influence the dynamics of local governance as the parties collaborate or compete across multiple levels of government.
The article also noted that the final local government results could signal shifting political dynamics ahead of the 2029 national election, as the ANC’s nationwide lead is narrowed by growing competition in key urban centres and by the emergence of the MK Party in provincial contests.
