South Africa’s 2026 local government elections are currently at the halfway mark, with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) reporting that 49.03% of the 23,696 voting districts have been processed as of 15:11 on November 5. Voters cast their ballots on Wednesday, November 4, to determine the composition of 213 municipal councils across the country.
The results remain preliminary, with the IEC stressing that no outcome is final until formally declared. As of the latest update, 71 councils have completed their full vote tally. The count is dynamic, with the IEC’s data refreshing automatically as new voting districts conclude their counts. Because the electoral system requires voters to cast both ward and party-list ballots, the final seat distribution—and the potential for coalition formation—remains fluid.
Current National Vote Distribution
While the IEC continues to process the remaining 50.97% of voting districts, the early national figures provide a snapshot of the current political standing. The African National Congress (ANC) leads the count with 31.84% of the vote, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) at 26.35%. Smaller parties are currently shaping the potential for local coalitions, with the Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MK) at 7.74%, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) at 5.82%, and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) at 3.83%.
Jacob Zuma’s MK Party has secured a majority in Richmond Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, winning 56% of the vote and ending ANC control. Richmond becomes the first municipality governed by the MK Party following the 2026 local government elections. pic.twitter.com/8LKCJE5I5a
| Political Party | Vote Percentage | Total Votes |
|---|---|---|
| African National Congress | 31.84% | 3 916 528 |
| Democratic Alliance | 26.35% | 3 241 327 |
| Umkhonto Wesizwe Party | 7.74% | 952 610 |
| Economic Freedom Fighters | 5.82% | 716 168 |
| Inkatha Freedom Party | 3.83% | 470 572 |
| Other Parties | 20.34% | 2 501 481 |
Mechanical Realities of Municipal Governance
The electoral process in South Africa separates the ward vote from the party ballot, and both are essential to determining the final makeup of a municipal council. Winning a specific ward secures a single seat for a candidate, but this does not grant a party control over the municipality. Governance is determined by the total seat count, which incorporates both ward winners and the proportional representation derived from the party-list vote.
If no single party secures an outright majority in a council, the municipality enters a period of negotiation. In these instances, parties must form coalitions to pass budgets, elect mayors, and manage municipal services.
South Africa (Manguang local election), News24 projection: ANC (centre-left): 37.3% (-13.3) DA (liberal|centre-right): 30.2% (+4.5) EFF (left-wing): 8.4% (-2.9) … +/- vs. 2021 election ➤https://t.co/12hQV9Yms2 #LGE2026 #SAElections2026 pic.twitter.com/yQisUizVpP
IEC Tracks Progress Through a Verification Portal
The IEC has structured the results portal to allow citizens to track progress at both the ward and municipal levels. Because the counting process is ongoing, the commission explicitly marks all current figures as not final. The data provided reflects the aggregate of ward and party ballots, which are combined to calculate the proportional distribution of seats.
The commission’s official results portal serves as the primary source for the ongoing count. Each ward’s status is only updated to “won” once the seat data is formally verified and declared by the IEC. This rigorous verification process is intended to ensure that the final seat allocation matches the certified vote count.
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🗳️ #LGE2026 | ELECTION RESULTS UPDATE The 2026 Local Government Elections results process continues to advance, with 31% of votes counted nationally. According to the IEC's live results dashboard: 🔹 7,418 of 23,696 voting districts have been completed. 🔹 698 of 4,485 wards… pic.twitter.com/47NNC0lDFZ
