South Africa’s 2026 Local Government Elections have officially drawn to a close, but the real political test is only beginning as parties prepare for coalition negotiations and newly elected councillors face mounting expectations to deliver services to frustrated communities. President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned political leaders that the electorate’s verdict must translate into action, insisting that the hard work of rebuilding local government must begin immediately. “Now that the votes have been counted, the hard work must begin,” Ramaphosa said…

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) president Julius Malema has warned residents of Soweto to brace themselves for what he described as a tough period under a Democratic Alliance (DA)-led Johannesburg administration, accusing the party of being unwilling to accommodate poor communities struggling to pay for municipal services. Malema said residents who have historically struggled to pay for water and electricity could face increased financial pressure, warning that the DA would insist on payment for municipal services regardless of residents’ economic…

South Africa’s political landscape is shifting following the 2026 Local Government Elections, with the African National Congress (ANC) facing further electoral setbacks, smaller parties strengthening their positions and coalition negotiations emerging as the next major political battle. As vote counting and results processing approach completion on Saturday, November 7, the elections held on Wednesday, November 4, have exposed the changing political fortunes of parties across the country, with several municipalities expected to be governed through coalitions. The ANC, which has…

MIDRAND – South African Communist Party (SACP) General Secretary Solly Mapaila has appointed his deputy, Madala Masuku, to spearhead coalition government negotiations following the 2026 Local Government Elections. The polls have produced hung municipalities, including the City of Polokwane in Limpopo, for the first time since the advent of democracy in 1994. Mapaila made the announcement while addressing the media at the National Results Operations Centre in Midrand, Gauteng, on Friday, as political parties began positioning themselves for coalition negotiations…

Floyd Shivambu’s Afrika Mayibuye Movement has vowed to turn its electoral breakthrough in Limpopo into tangible improvements in people’s lives, promising to prioritise job creation, reliable water supply and better service delivery after making significant inroads into two municipalities traditionally dominated by the African National Congress (ANC). The party’s spokesperson, Sydney Baloyi, says Mayibuye will not take the confidence shown by voters in Greater Giyani and Collins Chabane Municipalities for granted, insisting that the movement is determined to translate its…

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has described the party’s performance in the 2026 local government elections as a political earthquake, expressing excitement over the ANC’s declining support, particularly in Johannesburg, where the DA was leading with 40.3% against the governing party’s 17%. Addressing journalists at the National Results Operations Centre in Midrand on Friday morning, Hill-Lewis said the election results reflected a significant shift in South Africa’s political landscape, with the DA making gains in metropolitan municipalities, townships and…

ActionSA is preparing for coalition negotiations following encouraging support in Gauteng, with the party insisting that any agreement must be guided by clear conditions as the province’s three metropolitan municipalities head towards hung councils. ActionSA Gauteng provincial chairperson Funzi Ngobeni said the party was encouraged by the support it had received across the province, thanking voters for placing their trust in the party. “South Africans are putting their hopes in ActionSA. They believe we can bring accountability and fix our…

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Gauteng provincial leader Nkululeko Dunga has called on political parties to put their egos aside and approach potential coalition negotiations as equals, saying no party should consider itself more important than another if it has failed to secure an outright majority. Dunga said political parties must recognise that they are all minorities if they have not obtained more than 50% of the vote and should therefore be prepared to engage one another on equal terms to…

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has urged eligible voters who have not yet cast their ballots to use the remaining hours of Wednesday’s local government elections, revealing that 12 million people had voted by 5pm. With voting stations scheduled to close at 9pm, the commission said voting had progressed well across the country, despite a few isolated incidents. The preliminary figures show that Gauteng recorded the highest number of voters, with three million people having cast their ballots…

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has warned political parties, candidates and their supporters against campaigning inside voting stations during Wednesday’s local government elections, saying anyone who contravenes the law faces a fine or imprisonment of up to five years. In a statement issued on Wednesday, 4 November, the commission clarified the legal restrictions governing political campaigning on Election Day, emphasising that voting stations must remain free from activities that could influence voters. Voting stations opened at 7am and…