ANC 31%, DA 30% with a fifth counted. Who leads your metro so far
With about 20% of voting districts counted on 5 November, the ANC and DA are almost level nationally. The DA leads early in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Ekurhuleni and Nelson Mandela Bay; ActionSA leads in Tshwane.
The ANC and DA are almost level in the early count of the 2026 local government elections. By 08:33 on Thursday, 5 November, with about 20% of voting districts counted, the ANC had 31.4% of the vote and the DA 30.5%, according to IEC figures compiled by Rateweb.
These are early numbers. Only a small share of districts in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, the two most populous provinces, had reported by Thursday morning, Reuters reported. The picture can still shift a lot.
How does the national count look so far?
| Party | Vote share | Seats declared |
|---|---|---|
| ANC | 31.4% | 171 |
| DA | 30.5% | 132 |
| MK Party | 5.6% | 12 |
| EFF | 4.9% | 9 |
| Patriotic Alliance | 4.4% | 37 |
| VF Plus | 4.4% | 8 |
Source: IEC results as compiled by Rateweb at 08:33 on 5 November. Only 394 of 8,825 council seats had been declared at that point.
For comparison, the ANC won 46% in the 2021 municipal elections, down from 62% in 2011, while the DA has hovered around 22% in recent years (Reuters).
Who is leading in each metro?
The DA was ahead early in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Nelson Mandela Bay, IOL reported. In Tshwane, ActionSA was leading the early count.
| Metro | Early leader | Share | Districts counted | Seats needed to govern alone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | DA | 42.7% | 7% | 136 of 270 |
| Tshwane | ActionSA | 29.2% | 8% | 108 of 214 |
| Ekurhuleni | DA | 40.5% | 9% | 113 of 224 |
| Cape Town | DA | 62.8% | 16% | 118 of 235 |
| Nelson Mandela Bay | DA | 43.3% | 22% | 61 of 120 |
| Buffalo City | ANC | 40.1% | 25% | 51 of 100 |
| Mangaung | ANC | 31.4% | 19% | 51 of 101 |
Source: IEC results as compiled by Rateweb at 08:33 on 5 November. eThekwini had no usable early figures at that time. In eThekwini, the MK Party says it is preparing for the possibility of running the city, though the outcome is still open (IOL).
With so few districts counted in the big Gauteng metros, those leads are the least settled numbers on the board.
What does the CSIR projection say?
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) projected, from about 11.5% of districts declared, that the ANC would end on roughly 32% and the DA on about 26%, Reuters reported. A projection is a statistical estimate, not a result.
When will the final results be out?
Reuters reported that the declaration of results is expected on Sunday. After that, councils with no outright winner have two weeks to form coalitions and elect mayors (Reuters). Reuters also noted that big metros such as Johannesburg are not expected to produce a clear winner.
Where can you check your own ward?
The IEC's official results dashboard shows results by municipality, ward and voting district as they are captured. It is the only official source; numbers on other sites, including the tables above, are snapshots that go out of date quickly.
FAQ
Who is winning the 2026 local elections so far?
With about 20% of voting districts counted on the morning of 5 November, the ANC had 31.4% and the DA 30.5%. Counting is still early.
When will final local election results be announced?
Reuters reported the declaration of results is expected on Sunday. Councils without a majority then have two weeks to form coalitions.
Where can I see official results for my ward?
On the IEC's official results dashboard at results.elections.org.za, which shows results by municipality, ward and voting district.