ANC on 30.9% with 99% counted. Final results Sunday at 18:00

With 99% of voting districts counted on Saturday evening, 7 November 2026, the ANC remains the largest party nationally on 30.9% of the combined ward and proportional-representation vote, ahead of the DA on 24.6% and the MK Party on 9.7%, according to Rateweb's live IEC tracker (updated 18:03 Africa/Johannesburg).

Those figures are still provisional. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) will formally declare the 2026 local government election results at 18:00 on Sunday, 8 November 2026, IOL reported after Saturday's IEC briefing in Midrand. EWN carried the same Sunday 18:00 target.

Where the national vote stands tonight

Rateweb's IEC-linked board at 18:03 on Saturday showed about 29.5 million valid ballots counted across ward and PR papers, with 8,152 of 8,825 council seats already allocated on finished and partial councils.

Source: Rateweb national results, from IEC data, 7 November 2026, 18:03 SAST. Shares combine ward and PR ballots. Seat totals will keep moving until every council is finalised.

At Saturday afternoon's briefing, IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya put the running national shares at ANC 30.89%, DA 24.58%, MK Party 9.63%, EFF 6.25% and IFP 5.68%, with about 99% of the national vote counted, IOL reported. Small differences between briefing quotes and live trackers are normal while the last districts are captured.

How many councils are already finished?

By 18:03 on Saturday, Rateweb showed 204 of 213 councils fully counted:

That is a sharper hung picture than Saturday morning, when MzansiData's IEC-linked tally at 08:00 showed 122 hung of 190 declared councils. As more councils close, more hung outcomes are being locked in.

Which provinces are done, and which are not?

EWN and IOL reported that results processing was complete in six provinces: Free State, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Limpopo.

Three provinces were still finishing late on Saturday:

Moepya said the commission expected to finish those "early this evening or tonight", The Citizen reported. Dashboard numbers for those councils can still move before Sunday's declaration.

What Sunday's declaration actually means

Until the IEC declares the results, every share and seat total on the results dashboard remains provisional. Moepya cautioned that provisional seats can change if an outstanding objection is upheld, The Citizen and Mapepeza reported.

Once results are declared on Sunday evening:

1. Each new council is treated as elected.
2. The municipal manager (or an MEC designee) must call the first council meeting within 14 calendar days under section 29 of the Municipal Structures Act.
3. Councillors elect a speaker, then a mayor or executive mayor.

If the declaration is on Sunday, 8 November, that 14-day window runs to about Saturday, 22 November. Day-to-day water, electricity, refuse and billing continue under municipal staff while parties negotiate in hung councils. For the detail of that process, see Reported's hung-council explainer.

Does the national percentage decide your mayor?

No. Local elections are decided council by council. The national share shows relative party strength, but who runs Johannesburg, eThekwini or your local municipality depends on seats in that council alone. Many metros and towns are hung and will need coalitions or other agreements after Sunday's declaration.

Where to watch the final announcement

• Official results: results.elections.org.za
• Live seat boards: Rateweb, MzansiData
• IEC briefing coverage: IOL, EWN

Treat any figure before Sunday 18:00 as provisional.