Kokstad ANC wins majority: 11 of 21 seats after 2026 vote
Provisional IEC tallies give the ANC 11 of 21 seats on the Greater Kokstad council, an outright majority after all 11 wards were declared. MK is second on 4 seats; the DA and EFF have 2 each.
Provisional IEC figures now show the African National Congress with a majority on the Greater Kokstad local council: 11 of 21 seats, after seats were declared for the Harry Gwala district municipality in KwaZulu-Natal (The Outlier, update 17:20 Africa/Johannesburg on 6 November 2026; ESP Greater Kokstad results from IEC data).
In 2021 the ANC already held a majority, with 12 of 19 seats, ahead of the EFF on 4, the DA on 2 and the AIC on 1 (Inkmark 2021 seat summary). The council now has 21 seats, so 11 are needed to govern alone. This count keeps the ANC above that line, though its ward-vote share is down about 12 percentage points from 2021. Treat seats as provisional until the IEC formally declares the council.
What is the Greater Kokstad seat split?
| Party | Seats | Ward + PR |
|---|---|---|
| African National Congress (ANC) | 11 | 11 + 0 |
| uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) | 4 | 0 + 4 |
| Democratic Alliance (DA) | 2 | 0 + 2 |
| Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) | 2 | 0 + 2 |
| Patriotic Alliance (PA) | 1 | 0 + 1 |
| African Transformation Movement (ATM) | 1 | 0 + 1 |
| Total | 21 | |
| Seats needed for a majority | 11 |
Source: ESP Greater Kokstad seat calculation (IEC data). The Outlier Greater Kokstad card and Rateweb show the same ANC majority of 11 of 21 once counting reached 100%.
How did the wards and votes fall?
On ESP's reading of IEC ward results, the ANC won all 11 wards. On the ward ballot the ANC took about 47.5% of valid votes (11 735), down about 12.0 percentage points from 59.5% in 2021. MK was second on about 21.9% (5 420), the DA third on about 12.1% (2 986), and the EFF fourth on about 7.6% (1 881). All 43 voting districts in Greater Kokstad are in, with turnout around 52.1% on ESP's PR-based figure. Rateweb records the ANC at about 47.4% of counted votes.
How does this fit KwaZulu-Natal?
Greater Kokstad is a rare ANC outright win in a province where MK leads the overall vote share and many councils are hung. Reported has already covered IFP majorities in Nkandla, Mthonjaneni (Melmoth) and Nongoma, MK majorities in Richmond, iMpendle and Johannes Phumani Pungula, the DA majority in uMngeni (Howick), and hung towns such as KwaDukuza, Mandeni, eShowe and Scottburgh.
Nationally, seats are still being declared. Follow the IEC results dashboard for the official status of each council.
When must Greater Kokstad elect a mayor?
Once the IEC declares the result, the new council must hold its first meeting within 14 calendar days and elect a speaker and mayor (Municipal Structures Act; see also Reported's hung-council mayor timeline). With an outright majority, the ANC can elect those office-bearers without a coalition partner, unless it chooses one.
Figures above are provisional IEC-based tallies from Outlier, ESP and Rateweb. They can still change if wards are recounted or objections succeed before the IEC's final declaration.
FAQ
Did the ANC win a majority in Greater Kokstad?
On provisional IEC-based tallies with seats declared, yes. ESP, The Outlier and Rateweb show the ANC on 11 of 21 seats, which is the exact number needed for a majority.
How many seats does MK have in Greater Kokstad?
The MK Party has 4 seats on the provisional ESP seat tally, all proportional-representation seats. It did not win a ward.
Did the ANC win every ward in Greater Kokstad?
Yes. ESP's reading of IEC ward results shows the ANC won all 11 wards, while other parties gained seats only through the PR ballot.
When must Greater Kokstad elect a mayor?
After the IEC declares the council, the first meeting to elect a speaker and mayor must be held within 14 calendar days.