In brief
President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South African political parties to put service delivery first as they begin coalition negotiations following the 2026 local government elections, according to Xinhua. The ANC remains the country's largest party, winning 30.76% of votes and 3,282 council seats, while the DA secured 24.64% and 1,722 seats. With 74 councils won outright by a single party, coalition talks are inevitable in the remaining 138 hung councils.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking at the Independent Electoral Commission's Results Operations Center in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, urged political parties to prioritize service delivery and community interests over political positions as they begin negotiations to form municipal governments following the country’s 2026 local government elections, Xinhua reported on Sunday, Nov. 9.
Ramaphosa called for unity to ensure municipal stability, warning that political friction and the scramble for positions must not undermine the delivery of essential services to citizens, the outlet noted.
According to official IEC figures released by Xinhua, the African National Congress (ANC), led by Ramaphosa, remains the country’s largest political party, securing 30.76 per cent of the vote and 3 282 council seats. The Democratic Alliance (DA) finished second with 24.64 percent of the vote and 1 722 seats, followed by the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MK Party) with 9.77 percent and 799 seats, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) with 6.22 percent and 592 seats, and ActionSA with 5.67 percent and 320 seats.
Other political parties and independent candidates collectively accounted for 22.94 percent of the vote, securing representation across municipal councils.
The IEC reported that approximately 14.9 million voters cast their ballots, bringing turnout to 52 percent—a 6.1‑percentage‑point increase from the 2021 local government elections.
All 213 municipal councils have been finalized and declared, with 10 526 council seats contested. The ANC secured outright majorities in 53 municipalities and led in 128, while the DA won outright majorities in 12 and led in 32. In total, 74 municipal councils were won outright by a single party, while the remaining 138 were hung councils, making coalition negotiations inevitable.
In Johannesburg, the DA emerged as the largest party in the 270‑seat municipal council with 91 seats, followed by the ANC with 63 and ActionSA with 43. No party reached the 136‑seat threshold required for an outright majority.
