From The Rio Times · Contributing Reporter · · 1m 50s
South Africa City Vote Turnout Rose to 52%
South Africa's city council vote saw 52% turnout, with no clear winner as parties juggle coalitions.
In brief
South Africa's city council vote saw 52% turnout, with no clear winner as parties juggle coalitions. South Africa's city council election had 52% turnout, with the ruling ANC winning 3,164 seats but no party securing a majority in key cities. Originally reported by The Rio Times.
Turnout Rose to 52%
South Africa's city council vote saw 52% turnout, up from 45.9% in 2021 among 29.2 million registered voters.
ANC Wins 3,164 Seats
The ruling African National Congress won 3,164 council seats on 30.89% of the vote.
DA Takes 1,527 Seats
The Democratic Alliance won 1,527 council seats on 24.60% of the vote.
MK Party Secures 701 Seats
The MK Party won 701 council seats on 9.61% of the vote, ahead of the Economic Freedom Fighters with 505 seats.
ActionSA Gets 219 Seats
ActionSA, founded by Herman Mashaba, won 219 council seats on 5.68% of the vote.
72 Councils Have Majority
Across 213 municipalities, 72 councils had an outright majority party while 127 were hung councils.
197 Objections Filed
By 7 November the IEC had 197 objections: 54 dismissed, 8 withdrawn, 2 upheld.
5 Recounts Ordered
The IEC ordered recounts in five wards, including Tshwane and Mangaung metro areas.
Douglas Revote Set
The IEC set a repeat vote for one Douglas voting district on Wednesday 18 November 2026.
Prediction Markets Show
Polymarket prices Herman Mashaba near 45% for Johannesburg mayor, thinly traded (14 November, 1:45 p.m. ET).
Impact on US Investors
Hung councils could slow decisions for US firms in Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Durban.
No Confirmed Seat Changes
The IEC has not confirmed any seat changes from the five recounts, so no party has a majority.
The short version
South Africa's city council election had 52% turnout, with the ruling ANC winning 3,164 seats but no party securing a majority in key cities.
