In brief
On Sunday in Midrand, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South African political parties to focus on service delivery as they begin coalition talks after the 2026 local elections. The ANC, while still the largest party, captured 30.76% of the vote and 3,282 council seats, creating a mix of outright majorities and hung councils that make coalition forming inevitable. Johannesburg’s council, won by the Democratic Alliance, will require coalition partners for leadership.
In Midrand, north of Johannesburg, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South African political parties to prioritize service delivery and community interests over power struggles as they begin negotiations to form municipal governments following the 2026 local government elections.
The African National Congress (ANC) won 30.76 percent of the national vote and 3,282 council seats, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) secured 24.64 percent and 1,722 seats. The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) obtained 9.77 percent and 799 seats, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) 6.22 percent and 592 seats, and ActionSA 5.67 percent and 320 seats; other parties and independents together captured 22.94 percent of the vote and a share of municipal seats.
Official IEC figures show that 10,526 council seats were contested across 213 municipal councils. Of those, the ANC won outright majorities in 53 municipalities and led 128; the DA did so in 12 and led 32. A total of 74 councils were won outright by a single party, leaving 138 hung councils where no party has an absolute majority, making coalition negotiations inevitable.
In Johannesburg, the 270‑seat municipal council was won by the DA with 91 seats, followed by the ANC’s 63 seats and ActionSA’s 43 seats; no party reached the 136‑seat threshold required for an outright majority.
Ramaphosa praised the elections as a “resounding affirmation of South Africa’s democratic institutions,” citing the Freedom Charter and saying that the authority to govern “comes from the people.”
The Independent Electoral Commission reported that approximately 14.9 million voters turned out, a 52 percent turnout that represents an increase of 6.1 percentage points from the 2021 local government elections.
While the ANC remains the largest party, the mix of outright majorities and hung councils suggests that coalition negotiations will shape municipal governance in the coming months.
