Africa Edition
Saturday, 7 November 2026 · Africa/Johannesburg
Politics · South Africa · Local election results 2026
South Africa local election results 2026: who is leading as hung councils reshape the map
Dated IEC snapshot at 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg — 97% of votes counted, ANC 30.98% and DA 24.54% nationally, 122 hung councils, and metro races still short of majorities.
National → province → municipality. Use the trail, named Back, or the jump lists by the map. Colours = vote leader so far (not council control). Unofficial AB24 view of public IEC files · IEC live dashboard. Charts below stay on the 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg snapshot.
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JOHANNESBURG — South Africa is waking up to a municipal map defined less by outright winners than by coalitions. A dated Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) national results file from 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg on Saturday 7 November 2026 carries the IEC progress label 97% of votes counted. In that same file, 23,193 of 23,696 voting districts were complete — a separate figure from the votes-counted percentage — with 122 hung councils, 68 under an outright majority, and 23 of 213 councils still not calculated.
There is no single national winner in a local election. Each of the 213 municipal councils is decided on its own seats. The party percentages below are the IEC’s overall support figures in the national file — combined ward and proportional-representation (PR) ballots across counted areas. Those totals count ballots, not unique voters.
Who is leading — parties nationally
On this snapshot the African National Congress remains ahead on overall support at 30.98% (about 8,864,289 ballots) with 48 majority councils so far. The Democratic Alliance is second on 24.54% with 11 majority councils. uMkhonto weSizwe is third on 9.61% with three majority councils. The Economic Freedom Fighters sit on 6.25%, ActionSA on 5.58%, and the Inkatha Freedom Party on 4.74% with five majority councils.
Those national shares set the tone; they do not award a national government. Power sits in mayors, speakers and budgets that only emerge once seats are final — and, in hung councils, once parties strike deals.
BusinessTech reported on Friday that counting was near 95%, with Buffalo City and Mangaung completed and the DA leading across Gauteng’s metros. IOL, citing the IEC board on Friday night, put hung councils at 110 with about 95% counted. Saturday morning’s dated file shows both the count progress label and the hung tally have moved on.
Chart 1. National party support so far · Source: IEC · Dated IEC file 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · IEC: 97% of votes counted · Provisional
Overall support (combined ward + PR ballots). Ballot totals are not unique voters. Snapshot 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026. Tap or press Enter on a party to open what the numbers mean.
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ANC30.98%8,864,289 ballots3,033 seats so far48 majority councilsDetails
What this means: National overall support (combined ward + PR ballots) on this dated IEC file — not a national government result. Leading on ballots does not award control of any council. Majority councils (48) are municipalities where the ANC already holds more than half the seats on this snapshot.
Support: 30.98% of counted overall ballots (ward + PR combined)
Ballots: 8,864,289 (not unique voters)
Seats allocated so far: 3,033
Majority councils so far: 48
Provisional · IEC dated file 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · IEC label: 97% of votes counted. Leading ≠ controlling a hung or incomplete council.
DA24.54%7,020,952 ballots1,365 seats so far11 majority councilsDetails
What this means: Second on overall support nationally in this snapshot. Vote lead in several metros is not the same as controlling those councils until seats are complete and a majority (or coalition) is secured. Eleven majority councils so far.
Support: 24.54% of counted overall ballots (ward + PR combined)
Ballots: 7,020,952 (not unique voters)
Seats allocated so far: 1,365
Majority councils so far: 11
Provisional · IEC dated file 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · IEC label: 97% of votes counted. Leading ≠ controlling a hung or incomplete council.
MK9.61%2,749,733 ballots669 seats so far3 majority councilsDetails
What this means: Third on overall support. Leads on the vote in eThekwini on the dated metro file, but that metro still has seats pending — a vote lead is not council control. Three majority councils so far.
Support: 9.61% of counted overall ballots (ward + PR combined)
Ballots: 2,749,733 (not unique voters)
Seats allocated so far: 669
Majority councils so far: 3
Provisional · IEC dated file 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · IEC label: 97% of votes counted. Leading ≠ controlling a hung or incomplete council.
EFF6.25%1,788,574 ballots454 seats so far0 majority councilsDetails
What this means: Fourth on overall support. Zero majority councils on this snapshot — seats so far are as a minority or coalition partner candidate, not outright control.
Support: 6.25% of counted overall ballots (ward + PR combined)
Ballots: 1,788,574 (not unique voters)
Seats allocated so far: 454
Majority councils so far: 0
Provisional · IEC dated file 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · IEC label: 97% of votes counted. Leading ≠ controlling a hung or incomplete council.
ActionSA5.58%1,595,434 ballots169 seats so far0 majority councilsDetails
What this means: Strong Gauteng metro contender in the dated files (notably Tshwane, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni) without majority councils nationally yet. National share is not a metro majority.
Support: 5.58% of counted overall ballots (ward + PR combined)
Ballots: 1,595,434 (not unique voters)
Seats allocated so far: 169
Majority councils so far: 0
Provisional · IEC dated file 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · IEC label: 97% of votes counted. Leading ≠ controlling a hung or incomplete council.
IFP4.74%1,355,013 ballots461 seats so far5 majority councilsDetails
What this means: Five majority councils so far on this snapshot despite a lower national share than several parties ahead on ballots — local seat majorities matter more than the national percentage.
Support: 4.74% of counted overall ballots (ward + PR combined)
Ballots: 1,355,013 (not unique voters)
Seats allocated so far: 461
Majority councils so far: 5
Provisional · IEC dated file 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · IEC label: 97% of votes counted. Leading ≠ controlling a hung or incomplete council.
VF Plus3.02%863,992 ballots178 seats so far0 majority councilsDetails
What this means: Provisional overall support under 4%. No majority councils on this snapshot.
Support: 3.02% of counted overall ballots (ward + PR combined)
Ballots: 863,992 (not unique voters)
Seats allocated so far: 178
Majority councils so far: 0
Provisional · IEC dated file 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · IEC label: 97% of votes counted. Leading ≠ controlling a hung or incomplete council.
SACP2.40%686,086 ballots226 seats so far0 majority councilsDetails
What this means: Provisional overall support. Seats so far do not include an outright majority council on this file.
Support: 2.40% of counted overall ballots (ward + PR combined)
Ballots: 686,086 (not unique voters)
Seats allocated so far: 226
Majority councils so far: 0
Provisional · IEC dated file 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · IEC label: 97% of votes counted. Leading ≠ controlling a hung or incomplete council.
PA1.96%560,503 ballots161 seats so far0 majority councilsDetails
What this means: Provisional overall support. No majority councils on this snapshot.
Support: 1.96% of counted overall ballots (ward + PR combined)
Ballots: 560,503 (not unique voters)
Seats allocated so far: 161
Majority councils so far: 0
Provisional · IEC dated file 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · IEC label: 97% of votes counted. Leading ≠ controlling a hung or incomplete council.
National party support — IEC overall support (combined ward + PR ballots; provisional). Ballot totals are not unique voters.
Party
Support
Ballots
Seats so far
Majority councils
ANC
30.98%
8,864,289
3,033
48
DA
24.54%
7,020,952
1,365
11
MK
9.61%
2,749,733
669
3
EFF
6.25%
1,788,574
454
0
ActionSA
5.58%
1,595,434
169
0
IFP
4.74%
1,355,013
461
5
VF Plus
3.02%
863,992
178
0
SACP
2.40%
686,086
226
0
PA
1.96%
560,503
161
0
Chart 2. Hung councils vs majority councils · Source: IEC · Dated IEC file 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · IEC: 97% of votes counted · Provisional
190 of 213 municipalities have results calculated on this snapshot. Tap a card for a plain-language explanation. Incomplete seats are not automatically hung.
122Hung councilsSeats allocated; no party above 50%Details
Hung means seats have been allocated and no party holds more than half. Parties then negotiate coalitions or confidence-and-supply deals for speaker, mayor and budget. That is different from seats still being counted.
On this national file: 122 of 213 councils are hung. Among the eight metros in AB24’s dated metro files, completed hung allocations include Nelson Mandela Bay (DA 53 of 120; need 61) and Mangaung (ANC 36, DA 33 of 101; need 51). Other hung councils are outside this metro list — AB24 is not inventing a full 122-name roster here.
Provisional · 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · Largest party does not automatically govern.
68Outright majorityOne party holds more than half the seatsDetails
Outright majority means one party already holds more than half the seats in that council on the completed allocation — it can form the council without needing another party for a 50%+1 seat majority (politics inside the party aside).
On this snapshot: 68 councils. By party (majority councils so far in the national file): ANC 48, DA 11, IFP 5, MK 3. AB24 does not list every majority municipality name here.
Provisional · IEC dated national file · Not a national election winner.
23Not yet calculatedSeats pending — not the same as hungDetails
Not yet calculated / seats pending means the IEC has not finished allocating seats for that council on this file. Do not read an incomplete seat column as a hung result.
Nationally: 23 of 213. Among metros on AB24’s dated files, seats are still incomplete for Johannesburg, Cape Town, eThekwini, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Buffalo City (votes counted 100% in Buffalo City, but seats listed 49 of 100).
Provisional · Until seats are complete, status stays “seats pending”, not hung or majority.
Metro headlines are about who leads on the vote — and whether anyone can reach a majority of seats. On completed seat allocations in this snapshot, Nelson Mandela Bay is hung (DA 53 of 120 seats; 61 needed) and Mangaung is hung (ANC 36, DA 33 of 101; 51 needed). The largest party does not automatically govern a hung metro.
Buffalo City has finished counting votes but seat allocation is still incomplete (49 of 100 seats listed) — that is seats pending, not hung. Johannesburg, Cape Town, eThekwini, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni still have incomplete seat allocations here, so AB24 labels them seats pending or still counting rather than declaring control.
On vote share so far: the DA leads in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Nelson Mandela Bay; MK leads in eThekwini; the ANC leads in Buffalo City and Mangaung. ActionSA is a clear contender in Gauteng — second in Tshwane on this file, and a substantial third force in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni — without majority councils nationally yet.
Chart 3. Eight metros · Source: IEC municipal results files · Snapshot ~06:36–06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · Provisional
Largest party does not automatically control a hung council. Seats pending means allocation is incomplete — not the same as hung. Tap a metro for seat, threshold and status detail.
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Johannesburg
Seats pending
Vote leader
DA · 36.10%
Voting districts
89% (773/862)
Seats in / total
98/270 (need 136)
Leader seats so far
45
Majority not decided yet — seats still being allocated
98 of 270 seats allocated (need 136 for majority)
More
DA leads on the vote (36.10%) with 45 seats listed so far of 98 allocated (270 total; 136 needed for a majority). Seat allocation is incomplete — AB24 does not treat this as hung or as DA control.
Status: Seats pending
Vote leader: DA (36.10%)
Seats in: 98/270 · majority needs 136
Leader seats listed: 45
Provisional metro file · ~06:36–06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · Not a live feed · Leading ≠ automatically controlling.
Cape Town
Seats pending
Vote leader
DA · 56.88%
Voting districts
96% (797/829)
Seats in / total
93/235 (need 118)
Leader seats so far
73
Majority not decided yet — seats still being allocated
93 of 235 seats allocated (need 118 for majority)
More
DA leads on the vote (56.88%) with 73 seats listed so far of 93 allocated (235 total; 118 needed). Seats still pending on this snapshot — vote share is not a final council declaration.
Status: Seats pending
Vote leader: DA (56.88%)
Seats in: 93/235 · majority needs 118
Leader seats listed: 73
Provisional metro file · ~06:36–06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · Not a live feed · Leading ≠ automatically controlling.
eThekwini
Seats pending
Vote leader
MK · 40.05%
Voting districts
87% (733/839)
Seats in / total
50/223 (need 112)
Leader seats so far
38
Majority not decided yet — seats still being allocated
50 of 223 seats allocated (need 112 for majority)
More
MK leads on the vote (40.05%) with 38 seats listed so far of 50 allocated (223 total; 112 needed). Incomplete seats — not hung, not declared control.
Status: Seats pending
Vote leader: MK (40.05%)
Seats in: 50/223 · majority needs 112
Leader seats listed: 38
Provisional metro file · ~06:36–06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · Not a live feed · Leading ≠ automatically controlling.
Tshwane
Seats pending
Vote leader
DA · 34.61%
Voting districts
98% (788/796)
Seats in / total
100/214 (need 108)
Leader seats so far
36
Majority not decided yet — seats still being allocated
100 of 214 seats allocated (need 108 for majority)
More
DA leads on the vote (34.61%). Leader seats listed so far (36) can differ from other parties’ provisional seat tallies while allocation continues — 100 of 214 seats are in; 108 needed for a majority. Seats pending.
Status: Seats pending
Vote leader: DA (34.61%)
Seats in: 100/214 · majority needs 108
Leader seats listed: 36
Provisional metro file · ~06:36–06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · Not a live feed · Leading ≠ automatically controlling.
Ekurhuleni
Seats pending
Vote leader
DA · 31.46%
Voting districts
94% (617/653)
Seats in / total
94/224 (need 113)
Leader seats so far
30
Majority not decided yet — seats still being allocated
94 of 224 seats allocated (need 113 for majority)
More
DA leads on the vote (31.46%) with 30 seats listed so far of 94 allocated (224 total; 113 needed). Seat allocation incomplete on this file.
Status: Seats pending
Vote leader: DA (31.46%)
Seats in: 94/224 · majority needs 113
Leader seats listed: 30
Provisional metro file · ~06:36–06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · Not a live feed · Leading ≠ automatically controlling.
Nelson Mandela Bay
Hung
Vote leader
DA · 44.17%
Voting districts
100% (268/268)
Seats in / total
120/120 (need 61)
Leader seats so far
53
Gap to majority: 8
53 of 61 seats for majority
More
Completed seat allocation: DA 53 of 120 seats; 61 needed for a majority — gap of 8. The council is hung. Largest party does not automatically govern; coalitions or deals decide speaker and mayor.
Status: Hung
Vote leader: DA (44.17%)
Seats in: 120/120 · majority needs 61
Leader seats listed: 53 · gap 8
Provisional metro file · ~06:36–06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · Not a live feed · Leading ≠ automatically controlling.
Buffalo City
Seats pending
Vote leader
ANC · 41.94%
Voting districts
100% (380/380)
Seats in / total
49/100 (need 51)
Leader seats so far
38
Majority not decided yet — seats still being allocated
49 of 100 seats allocated (need 51 for majority)
More
Votes counted 100% of VDs, but seats listed 49 of 100 (51 needed for a majority). That is seats pending — not hung. ANC leads on the vote (41.94%) with 38 seats listed so far.
Status: Seats pending
Vote leader: ANC (41.94%)
Seats in: 49/100 · majority needs 51
Leader seats listed: 38
Provisional metro file · ~06:36–06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · Not a live feed · Leading ≠ automatically controlling.
Mangaung
Hung
Vote leader
ANC · 33.91%
Voting districts
100% (388/388)
Seats in / total
101/101 (need 51)
Leader seats so far
36
Gap to majority: 15
36 of 51 seats for majority
More
Completed seat allocation: ANC 36 seats, DA 33 of 101; 51 needed for a majority — gap of 15 for the largest party. Hung on a finished allocation. Vote lead is not control.
Status: Hung
Vote leader: ANC (33.91%)
Seats in: 101/101 · majority needs 51
Leader seats listed: 36 · gap 15
Provisional metro file · ~06:36–06:39 Africa/Johannesburg, 7 Nov 2026 · Not a live feed · Leading ≠ automatically controlling.
Eight metros — provisional leaders (IEC municipal files). Largest party does not automatically control a hung council.
Metro
Leader
Vote %
VDs counted
Seats in
Status
Johannesburg
DA
36.10%
89% (773/862)
98/270 (need 136)
Seats pending
Cape Town
DA
56.88%
96% (797/829)
93/235 (need 118)
Seats pending
eThekwini
MK
40.05%
87% (733/839)
50/223 (need 112)
Seats pending
Tshwane
DA
34.61%
98% (788/796)
100/214 (need 108)
Seats pending
Ekurhuleni
DA
31.46%
94% (617/653)
94/224 (need 113)
Seats pending
Nelson Mandela Bay
DA
44.17%
100% (268/268)
120/120 (need 61)
Hung
Buffalo City
ANC
41.94%
100% (380/380)
49/100 (need 51)
Seats pending
Mangaung
ANC
33.91%
100% (388/388)
101/101 (need 51)
Hung
Mangaung is one of the clearest examples of why a vote lead is not control. In the dated metro file, the ANC leads on about 33.91% of the vote with 36 seats, the DA is close behind on about 33.48% with 33 seats, and 51 seats are needed for a majority of the 101-member council — a gap of 15 for the largest party. The council is hung on a completed seat allocation.
What a hung council means — and what comes next
A hung council means seats have been allocated and no party holds more than half. Parties then negotiate coalitions or confidence-and-supply arrangements to elect a speaker and mayor and pass a budget. That affects rates, water, refuse and local roads for the next term.
Seats pending is different: vote counting or seat calculation is incomplete, so the council is not yet classified as hung or majority-controlled. Do not read an incomplete seat column as a hung result.
AB24’s reading from Johannesburg: the story has already moved from who won wards to who can stitch councils together. Watch metro seats still being verified — especially eThekwini and the Gauteng three — and the first public coalition frameworks from ANC, DA, MK, IFP and ActionSA. Financial Mail earlier said the official IEC declaration process was due Sunday evening; until each council is declared, every figure on this page remains provisional.
What are the South Africa local election results for 2026?
In AB24’s dated IEC national file from 06:39 Africa/Johannesburg on 7 November 2026, the IEC progress label is 97% of votes counted. Overall support (combined ward and PR ballots): ANC 30.98%, DA 24.54%, MK 9.61%. There is no single national winner — each council is decided on its own seats. Figures are provisional.
Who is leading in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Tshwane, eThekwini and the other metros?
On vote share in the dated metro files: DA leads in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Nelson Mandela Bay; MK leads in eThekwini; ANC leads in Buffalo City and Mangaung. Most metros still have incomplete seat allocations. Leading on votes is not the same as controlling the council.
Did the ANC or DA win the local elections?
Neither has a national majority on this snapshot. ANC overall support is 30.98% and DA 24.54%, with 122 hung councils. Local elections produce 213 separate municipal outcomes, many needing coalitions.
What does a hung council mean — and is seats pending the same thing?
A hung council means seats have been allocated and no party holds more than half. Seats pending or incomplete seat allocation is different: the count is still unfinished, so the council is not yet classified as hung or majority-controlled.
How did ActionSA do in the metros?
In the dated metro files, ActionSA is especially strong in Gauteng: second on the vote in Tshwane (behind the DA) and a clear third force in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni. Nationally it sits on about 5.58% overall support in this snapshot, with no majority councils yet.
Where can I check the official IEC results?
The official live board is the IEC LGE2026 results dashboard at results.elections.org.za. This AB24 page is a static, dated snapshot with charts — not a live feed.
