The African National Congress (ANC) has suffered a significant setback in South Africa’s 2026 local government elections, retaining its position as the country's largest political party but losing substantial electoral support. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) announced the results on November 8 after completing the vote count.
The IEC said that the ANC received 30.76% of the national vote, securing 3,246 council seats. The Democratic Alliance (DA) came second with 24.64%, followed by former President Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party with 9.76%. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) received 6.22%, while ActionSA secured 5.67%.
The results show a decline of almost 15 percentage points for the ANC from 45.59% in the 2021 local government elections. Reuters reported that the outcome would weaken the party's position in negotiations to form municipal governments, particularly in major urban centres.
The ANC remains the leading party in 128 municipalities and secured outright control in 53. The DA achieved outright majorities in 12 municipalities and emerged as the leading party in 32, while the MK Party secured outright control in three municipalities.
Coalition negotiations are expected to play a central role in determining the composition of local administrations. According to the IEC, 127 municipal councils do not have a single party holding more than half of the seats, requiring political parties to seek partners to establish governing majorities.
The ANC's declining support also reflects a longer-term shift in South Africa's political landscape. Issues including unemployment, corruption and the delivery of basic services such as water and electricity have remained prominent concerns for voters.
The IEC reported national voter turnout of 52%, compared with 45.9% in the 2021 local government elections. Approximately 14.9 million people cast their ballots from 29.2 million registered voters.
The election results mark another significant change in South Africa's political landscape, with coalition-building set to shape local governance and the distribution of political influence across the country.
