RC 261106SAfmCathy Mohlahlana
Friday, 6 November 2026
Counting shows the ANC sliding under 32% and hung councils dominating early results, while a Northern Cape ballot-tearing incident and record political killings shadow the vote.
- 07:09
With 72% of votes counted, the ANC is just under 32%, down from 45.5% in 2021, while the DA sits near 25% and MK takes about 9% in its first municipal election.
- 06:12
Of the first hundred councils decided, 69 have no outright winner, compared with 66 hung councils across the whole country in 2021, making coalitions the central story of this election.
- 07:03
The Electoral Commission confirmed interference at a Douglas, Northern Cape counting station, where party members stormed the venue and tore ballot papers before counting. The Commission is weighing the votes cast.
- 06:47
Between 43 and 45 people were killed in political hits by the end of September, with nine more in October, making this already the worst year on record for political killings.
- 06:31
The DA leads Cape Town with 61% of the vote from half the districts, putting the metro on course to remain the only major municipality governed by a single party.