Carletonville hung: Merafong ANC on 17 seats, 8 short of a majority
Merafong City, covering Carletonville, Fochville and Wedela, is Gauteng's first finished hung council after the 2026 local elections. The ANC won 17 of 49 seats and needs partners to govern.
Merafong City Local Municipality is Gauteng's first council to finish counting with no party holding more than half the seats. The ANC won 17 of 49 seats and is 8 short of the 25 needed to govern alone, according to provisional IEC results compiled by Rateweb (update 6 November 2026, 10:17 Africa/Johannesburg).
The municipality covers Carletonville, Fochville, Wedela and surrounding mining towns on the West Rand. Nationally, about 74% of voting districts were counted by Friday morning, with 81 of 115 finished councils hung (Rateweb from IEC data).
How many seats did each party win in Merafong?
| Party | Seats | Share of vote |
|---|---|---|
| ANC | 17 | 33.9% |
| DA | 11 | 23.0% |
| EFF | 4 | 8.7% |
| One Merafong Organisation (OMO) | 4 | about 8.5% |
| MK Party | 3 | about 5% |
| Freedom Front Plus | 2 | about 4.4% |
| ActionSA | 2 | about 3.5% |
| Other parties (1 seat each) | 6 | - |
Source: Rateweb Merafong results from IEC data and ESP Merafong seat allocation. Results are provisional until the IEC declares them. The six single-seat parties are the IFP, PAC, AIC, SACP, Patriotic Alliance and Labour Party of South Africa.
A majority needs 25 seats. The ANC is 8 short. The DA is 14 short. Local party One Merafong Organisation won 1 ward seat and 3 PR seats.
Are other Gauteng councils finished?
Most Gauteng metros and locals are still counting. Midvaal, Lesedi, Mogale City and Rand West City were close to complete on Friday morning but had not yet been marked as finished hung or majority on the Rateweb tracker. Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni remain partly counted (Rateweb Gauteng results).
What happens next in a hung council?
Parties must agree on a coalition or a minority arrangement. Each new council must hold its first meeting within 14 days of the results being declared, and that is where the mayor and speaker are elected. Reported's hung council explainer sets out the steps.
Objections under Section 65 of the Electoral Act close at 17:00 on Friday 6 November 2026. Reported's how to object guide covers the process. Final national results are expected around 11 November.
Where can you check your ward?
The IEC results dashboard shows results by municipality and ward. Merafong's live seat table is also on Rateweb and ESP.
FAQ
Is Merafong City hung after the 2026 election?
Yes, provisionally. The ANC won 17 of 49 seats, short of the 25 needed for a majority.
Which towns fall under Merafong City?
Merafong covers Carletonville, Fochville, Wedela and surrounding West Rand mining towns in Gauteng.
When must a hung council elect a mayor?
The new council must hold its first meeting, where the mayor is elected, within 14 days of the results being declared.
When is the IEC objection deadline?
Section 65 objections close at 17:00 on Friday 6 November 2026.