VerorbisWhat changed this week
Politics South Africa

South Africa's municipal elections and coalition talks

The ANC won about 31% in South Africa's Nov 4 municipal elections, its weakest result ever, to the DA's 25%, and most reports put the DA first in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni. Coalition talks now begin in the 127 of 213 councils where no party won a majority.

Confidence: high. The national shares and the 127 hung councils come from the Electoral Commission's Nov 8 declaration and are reported the same way by SAnews, eNCA, AP and Al Jazeera. Two caveats: the published text of the commission chair's speech gives slightly different figures (ANC 30.89%, DA 24.60%, 51 ANC-controlled councils) from SAnews and eNCA (30.76%, 24.64% or 24.67%, 53), and an AFP report on Africanews says the ANC led in Johannesburg, unlike AP, Al Jazeera and Eyewitness News; no official metro table was checked. The Ramaphosa resignation account rests on unnamed sources. · Updated 11 Nov 2026, 2pm ET

Open the full analysis and map

Why it matters: No party won a majority in 127 of South Africa's 213 municipal councils, so coalition deals will decide who governs most of the country's local governments, including its biggest cities. source

What's happening

South Africa elected all 213 of its municipal councils on Nov 4, the first local vote since the ANC lost its national majority in 2024 and began governing with the DA and other parties in a Government of National Unity. Final results declared on Nov 8 put the ANC at 30.76%, down from 45.6% in 2021 (Eyewitness News), the DA at 24.64%, Jacob Zuma's MK Party at 9.76%, the EFF at 6.22% and ActionSA at 5.67%, according to the Electoral Commission as reported by the government news agency SAnews; turnout was 52%, up from 45.9%. The ANC kept outright control of 53 councils, down from 122 in 2021 (eNCA), and 127 councils are hung. AP, Al Jazeera and Eyewitness News report the DA ahead of the ANC in the Gauteng metros of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, none with a majority; the DA kept its majority in Cape Town and the MK Party leads in eThekwini (Durban). Al Jazeera says parties have 14 days to make deals before the councils sit. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula called the result 'catastrophic'. The Sunday Times, citing at least five unnamed members of the ANC's national executive, reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa raised the idea of resigning as party leader; the ANC's spokesperson said she was not aware of such a discussion.

What changed recently

Key figures

ANC 30.76%, DA 24.64%, MK Party 9.76%, EFF 6.22%, ActionSA 5.67%National vote shares in the Nov 4 municipal electionsElectoral Commission of South Africa, as reported by SAnews · 2026-11-08 · source
127 of 213Municipal councils where no party won more than half the seatsElectoral Commission of South Africa, as reported by SAnews · 2026-11-08 · source
53, down from 122 after the 2021 electionsCouncils the ANC controls outrighteNCA, reporting the Electoral Commission's final results · 2026-11-08 · source

What experts say

Their views, summarized in our words.

Sources