Councillors gazetted: 5 ward by-elections, first sittings by 22 November

The IEC published the names of all councillors elected in the 2026 local elections in the Government Gazette on Friday, 13 November, except for Siyancuma in the Northern Cape. Councillors count as elected from 8 November, so first council sittings, where speakers and mayors are chosen, must be called by about 22 November. The IEC also announced five ward by-elections and said three objections had been upheld, SAnews reported.

Why does the gazette matter?

IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said the list would "enable planning for the inaugural sittings of the municipal councils", and that councillors are deemed elected with effect from 8 November 2026, the date results were announced, according to SAnews.

Under section 29(2) of the Municipal Structures Act, the municipal manager must call a new council's first meeting within 14 days after it is declared elected. Counting 14 days from 8 November gives 22 November.

Which wards will have by-elections?

Source: SAnews. Dates have not been set yet.

Which wards were decided by drawing lots?

Four ward races ended in a tie and were decided by lot, the IEC said (SAnews).

How many election objections were upheld?

By noon on Friday the IEC had received 1 708 submissions, of which 433 counted as Section 65 objections. Of those, 252 were finalised: 3 upheld and 249 rejected, SAnews reported. The decisions involved 12 recounts and seven edit windows.

Source: SAnews.

Why is Siyancuma left out?

Siyancuma's councillors are not on the list because voting will be repeated in a voting district in Ward 3. Special votes are on 17 November and the revote on 18 November, after which its seats will be calculated, according to SAnews.

What happens to parties that ran short of candidates?

Parties that won more seats than they had PR candidates had until 11 November to make up the shortfall. A party that did not could lose seats if the gap made a council quorum impossible, the IEC said (SAnews; SAnews, 12 November).

Who are the new councillors?

Women make up 33.6% of declared councillors, 39.7% of PR councillors and 26.8% of ward councillors. The average councillor is 47.3 years old, and 10.8% are under 35, the IEC said.

There are 10 526 seats in total: 8 825 local council seats (4 485 ward and 4 340 PR) and 1 701 district council seats. Of the district seats, 994 will be filled by representatives chosen from local councils (SAnews).

The Electoral Court also barred a Ngcobo candidate who impersonated an IEC staff member from holding councillor office for this five-year term, and fined an accomplice R100 000, suspended for three years (SAnews).