South Africa Declares 2026 Local Elections Free and Fair as ANC Support Falls Sharply

South Africa’s electoral commission on Sunday formally declared the 2026 local government elections “free and fair,” confirming a fractured result in which the African National Congress remained the country’s largest party nationally but fell far short of its support in the last municipal vote, leaving coalition bargaining across much of local government.

Independent Electoral Commission Chairperson Mosotho Moepya delivered the declaration at the National Results Operations Centre at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, with President Cyril Ramaphosa in attendance. The vote was held on Wednesday, Nov. 4, with special voting on Nov. 2 and 3. The commission said all 213 municipal councils had been finalized and declared.

The result matters both for what it says about voter engagement and for who will run basic local services such as water, sanitation, roads and refuse collection. The IEC said about 29.2 million voters were registered and about 14.9 million South Africans cast ballots, putting turnout at 52% — up 6.1 percentage points from 45.9% in the 2021 local elections. But the ANC’s support dropped sharply, from about 45.6% in 2021 to 30.89% this year.

According to the IEC’s national declaration, the ANC won 30.89% of the vote and 3,164 council seats. The Democratic Alliance took 24.60% and 1,527 seats. The uMkhonto weSizwe Party, or MK Party, a new party registered in 2023, won 9.61% and 701 seats.

The Economic Freedom Fighters won 6.25% and 505 seats, while ActionSA took 5.68% and 219 seats. Other parties and independents collectively accounted for 22.97% of the vote, underlining how fragmented the local political landscape has become.

That fragmentation was even clearer in the municipal breakdown. Moepya said 72 councils produced an outright majority for one party, while 127 were hung councils, meaning no party won more than half the seats and governing agreements will be needed to elect mayors and run municipalities.

The ANC won outright control in 51 municipalities and was the leading party in 120. The DA won outright control in 12 and was the leading party in 29. The Inkatha Freedom Party won outright control in five and was the leading party in 19. The MK Party won outright control in three and was the leading party in 18. Rise Tsantsabane Communities won outright control in one municipality.

“I hereby declare the 2026 Municipal Elections concluded as free and fair,” Moepya said in the official declaration.

The IEC also pointed to survey data aimed at measuring confidence in the process. Citing the Human Sciences Research Council’s 2026 Election Satisfaction Survey, the commission said 90% of respondents regarded election procedures as free and 91% as fair. It said 95% were satisfied with IEC services, 91% said they waited no longer than 30 minutes in line, and trust in the commission stood at 81%, down from 93% in 2016.

On ballot secrecy, Dr. Ben Roberts of the Human Sciences Research Council said, “Voter confidence in ballot secrecy remains exceptionally high and remarkably consistent over time. In 2026, 95% of voters were satisfied that their vote remained secret.”

The IEC reported spoilt votes at 1.84%. It also said it had processed objections to the election, but one serious disruption remained unresolved in the Northern Cape. At a voting station in Douglas, ballot papers were destroyed before they could be counted. The commission ordered a revote in Ward 3 of Siyancuma Municipality at the Jabulani Community Hall voting district, said it had approached the Electoral Court and said a criminal case had been opened with the South African Police Service.