South Africa is bracing for an unprecedented era of political volatility as the results of the 6 November 2026 local government elections reveal a dramatic collapse in the African National Congress’s (ANC) electoral dominance. With ballot counting largely concluded, the nation faces a Herculean task: establishing stable coalition governments in over half of the country’s 213 municipal councils.
Estimates suggest that as many as 150 municipalities—including seven of the eight metropolitan hubs—will now require multiparty power-sharing agreements. This marks a staggering surge from the 74 coalition-led municipalities identified on the eve of the election. For the first time, traditional ANC heartlands like Buffalo City and Mangaung are among the metros forced into coalition governance, signaling a profound shift in the country’s political landscape.
The electoral results confirm that the ANC has been stripped of sole political power across vast swathes of the country. While the party remains in control of roughly 50 local municipalities through outright majorities, this is a sharp decline from the 105 it held prior to the vote. Nationally, the ANC’s support has plummeted to 31 percent, down from 40 percent in the 2024 national elections. Analysts note that while the gap between the ANC and the Democratic Alliance (DA)—which stands at 25 percent—is narrowing, it is a result of rapid ANC shrinkage rather than significant growth by its rivals.
“The voter has sent a clear message,” says political analyst Susan Booysen. “Citizens have had enough of failed basic services and empty promises. They are turning away from the liberation movement in favor of a fragmented array of parties, including the DA, the MK Party, and various smaller formations.”
As the dust settles, political parties have moved into a critical two-week window of intense coalition negotiations. In the absence of comprehensive national legislation governing these arrangements, parties are navigating a precarious landscape. While the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) prepares to release urgent guidelines to assist with the transition, many councils are expected to rely on “confidence-and-supply” arrangements or tenuous alliances with a multitude of micro-parties acting as kingmakers.
The outcome of these negotiations will determine the quality of service delivery for millions of residents over the next five years. While the ANC’s national Government of National Unity (GNU) remains insulated from these local-level shifts, the local government reality is one of severe political belt-tightening.
As parties head to the negotiating table, the pressure to formalize agreements is immense. Without a solidified legislative framework to manage coalition instability, South Africa’s municipal governance faces a winding and uncertain path, leaving local councils to gamble on the wisdom and accountability of their newly elected representatives.
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