South Africa Faces Possible Hung Councils
More than 100 councils could lack an outright majority after the local government elections, with coalition talks expected to follow the final results.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Elections
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The Electoral Commission of South Africa has not yet completed vote counting or announced final results. Analysts project that more than 100 councils could end up hung, requiring coalition arrangements.
Why it matters
Hung councils would shift the focus from voting to coalition negotiations that determine who governs municipalities across South Africa. Turnout that was higher than in 2021 but not expected to match 2016 levels adds uncertainty to closely contested races.
Voter turnout was higher than in the 2021 local government elections but was not expected to reach the 2016 level, and Gauteng recorded relatively strong turnout. Final council majorities remain unknown until the Electoral Commission of South Africa completes counting and declares results.
The players
Electoral Commission of South Africa
The independent body responsible for managing and declaring South Africa's national and local elections, including vote counting and results.
The details
Votes are counted by hand at voting stations in the presence of party observers, and results slips are posted publicly before being submitted to the Electoral Commission of South Africa. The Commission has seven days to declare the election, and public trust in it and other institutions has declined over time, according to an opinion survey.
Timeline
2016: Local government elections with the higher turnout benchmark.
2021: Previous local government elections used for turnout comparison.
5 November 2026: Interview published on turnout and coalitions.
Seven days after counting: Electoral Commission deadline to declare results.
Weeks after final results: Expected coalition negotiations.
Political Context
Turnout in these elections was higher than in 2021 but not expected to match the 2016 local government elections. Coalition formation in hung councils will determine governance across municipalities once final results are declared.
Residents of hung municipalities may see extended coalition negotiations before councils can make decisions. Turnout levels and final results will determine which parties lead local governments.
The takeaway
Results in closely contested municipalities will depend on turnout and coalition deals, so watch the Electoral Commission's final declaration for clarity on who governs locally.
What happens next
The Electoral Commission of South Africa has seven days to declare the election results, after which coalition negotiations are expected to begin.
Further reading
Read more on Elections to follow the latest on South Africa's local government results.
Source note: This article includes information reported by EWN Traffic.
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