ELECTIONS 2026 | Here are the FINAL results
South Africa’s political landscape has shifted following the announcement of the final results of the 2026 Local Government Elections, with the African National Congress (ANC) recording its lowest-ever national election support.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced the final results on Sunday, 8 November, confirming that the ANC remains the country’s largest party nationally but has failed to secure an outright majority in any of South Africa’s metropolitan municipalities.
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— IEC South Africa (@IECSouthAfrica) November 8, 2026The results are out! The 2026 Local Government Elections have reached a significant milestone with the IEC officially announcing the results.
Thank you to every voter who turned out, every election official who served & stakeholders who contributed to the delivery of elections. pic.twitter.com/w5HkdwsCl5
The ANC received 30.76% of the national vote, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) with 24.64%.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) Party secured 9.76%, while the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) received 6.22%. ActionSA recorded 5.67%, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) 4.69% and the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) 2.99%.
How the parties performed nationally
The national results were as follows:
| Party | Share of national vote |
|---|---|
| ANC | 30.76% |
| DA | 24.64% |
| MK Party | 9.76% |
| EFF | 6.22% |
| ActionSA | 5.67% |
| IFP | 4.69% |
| FF Plus | 2.99% |
Who won the metros?
The results across South Africa’s eight metropolitan municipalities showed a divided political picture.
The ANC emerged as the largest party in Buffalo City and Mangaung, while the DA led in five metropolitan areas:
- City of Cape Town
- City of Ekurhuleni
- City of Johannesburg
- Nelson Mandela Bay
- City of Tshwane
The MK Party was the leading party in eThekwini.
ANC acknowledges election setback
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula described the party’s performance as “catastrophic”.
He said the ANC would not beg for positions during coalition negotiations and acknowledged that voters had delivered a message to the party.
“When the people tell us we have fallen short. The honest answer is not to argue with them but to go home and put our house in order,” Mbalula said.
The results place renewed focus on the ANC’s declining electoral support, following its loss of a national parliamentary majority in the 2024 general election.
Coalition negotiations begin
With several municipalities lacking an outright majority, political parties will now turn their attention to coalition negotiations.
Parties have 14 days to negotiate before municipal councils are formed.
The DA has said it will initiate discussions with parties that share its stated commitment to clean and accountable government, fighting corruption, service delivery, the rule of law and non-racialism.
FF Plus leader Corne Mulder has also called for the DA and ActionSA to work together to govern Gauteng’s three metros.
The negotiations will be particularly important in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, where the composition of council majorities will determine who forms the municipal administrations.
The 2026 election results have therefore set the stage for a new round of coalition politics, with parties required to negotiate working arrangements in municipalities across the country.
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