RC 261105Cape TalkLester Kiewit
Thursday, 5 November 2026
Early counts and a sharp gap between suburban and township turnout dominated the morning after South Africa's local government elections, with the ANC's national share projected to fall steeply.
- 06:10
Preliminary CSIR projections, based on about 11.5% of voting districts counted, put the ANC near 31.5% nationally, down from 46% in 2021, with the DA around 26% and the MK Party near 9%.
- 06:01
Hung councils across the country could more than double, with no party winning an outright majority. DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis said his focus is on growing DA votes before contemplating governing partnerships.
- 06:48
Reported turnout at 5pm yesterday in Cape Town was 55% in historically white-majority voting districts, 43% in coloured-majority districts and 31% in black-majority districts.
- 08:02
The Patriotic Alliance took Prince Albert from the DA with just shy of 49% of the vote, giving it five of the 10 council seats, while the DA's 36% gives it four and the ANC one.