In brief
Preliminary counts released by the Electoral Commission of South Africa show the ANC with 32% of the vote and the DA with 25% after two-thirds of ballots were tallied. The ANC leads in six provinces but loses ground in major metros, where the DA enjoys a strong presence and the MK Party is strong in KwaZulu-Natal – a development that could affect coalition negotiations ahead of the 2029 national election.
According to provisional results released by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and reported by Xinhua, the governing ANC is holding a slim nationwide lead over its main rival, the DA, as two‑thirds of the valid municipal ballots have been counted on Wednesday 6 November.
With roughly 32 percent of the vote counted to date, the ANC sits only a handful of percentage points ahead of the DA, which has secured about 25 percent. The IEC noted that the figures remain provisional while counting, verification and auditing continue, with the final collation expected to be finished by the weekend.
In the province‑wide picture, the ANC is leading in six of nine provinces: North West, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Free State. The DA is ahead only in Gauteng and Western Cape, while the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, is in the lead in KwaZulu‑Natal.
Metropolitan contests also show a sharp contrast: the DA is ahead in six of eight metropolitan municipalities, including Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Nelson Mandela Bay and Mangaung, and it is on track to keep control of Cape Town with roughly 62 percent of the vote. The MK Party, meanwhile, is leading in eThekwini, which covers Durban.
These provisional outcomes underscore a tightening competition in local government, especially in major urban centres, and suggest that coalition negotiations will become decisive for several key cities. The DA's strong metro performance could strengthen its bargaining position, while the ANC may seek support from smaller parties to maintain influence. The MK Party’s gains in KwaZulu‑Natal could also give it leverage in coalition talks.
The ANC and the DA remain partners in South Africa’s national Government of National Unity, adding another layer of complexity to the forthcoming coalition negotiations.
