George, Stellenbosch, Upington results: DA ahead, one council on a knife edge
Provisional IEC results show the DA leading every big Western Cape town outside Cape Town, a near tie in Upington's Dawid Kruiper council and the ANC ahead in Kimberley.
The DA is ahead in every major Western Cape town outside Cape Town, with more than 60% in Stellenbosch, Mossel Bay and Overstrand. In the Northern Cape, Upington's Dawid Kruiper council has finished counting with the DA less than a percentage point ahead of the ANC, according to provisional IEC results compiled by The Outlier.
Kimberley (Sol Plaatje) is still counting, with the ANC well ahead.
Who leads in each Western and Northern Cape council?
| Council | Main town | Counted | Leader | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stellenbosch | Stellenbosch | 92% | DA 64.5% | ANC 9.9% |
| Mossel Bay | Mossel Bay | 97% | DA 66.1% | ANC 10.1% |
| Overstrand | Hermanus | 89% | DA 60.1% | ANC 14.1% |
| Drakenstein | Paarl | 99% | DA 57.4% | ANC 13.0% |
| George | George | 70% | DA 54.6% | PA 19.2% |
| Saldanha Bay | Vredenburg | 100% | DA 49.5% | PA 19.8% |
| Breede Valley | Worcester | 45% | DA 47.2% | ANC 19.8% |
| Knysna | Knysna | 100% | DA 45.3% | ANC 18.4% |
| Dawid Kruiper | Upington | 100% | DA 41.9% | ANC 41.0% |
| Sol Plaatje | Kimberley | 64% | ANC 42.4% | DA 18.8% |
Source: The Outlier council results, from IEC data. Counted is the share of voting districts captured; vote shares are of votes counted so far.
Where could coalitions be needed?
Saldanha Bay and Knysna have finished counting with the DA below 50% of the vote, and in Dawid Kruiper the DA and ANC are almost level, with the PA on 10.5% (The Outlier). Whether a party has a majority there depends on the IEC's seat calculation, which combines ward wins with the party vote.
In George, the PA is in second place with about 19%, ahead of the ANC.
What happens if no party has a majority?
Parties must form a coalition or minority government, and the new council has to meet within 14 days of the results being declared to elect a mayor. Reported's hung council explainer covers the steps. The IEC expects to announce final results around 11 November.
Where can you check your own ward?
The official IEC results dashboard shows results by municipality and ward, including seat allocations once a council is complete. All figures are provisional until declared.
FAQ
Who won Dawid Kruiper (Upington) in the 2026 local elections?
With all voting districts counted, the DA has 41.9% and the ANC 41.0%. Seat allocation and the IEC's declaration will settle who controls the council.
Who is leading in George?
With 70% of voting districts counted, the DA leads with 54.6%, ahead of the PA on 19.2%.
When will final results be announced?
The IEC expects to declare final results around 11 November 2026.