JB Marks hung: ANC 22 seats, DA 21, need 34 to govern
JB Marks Local Municipality (Potchefstroom) is hung after a full count: the ANC has 22 of 67 seats, one ahead of the DA on 21. A majority needs 34. Seat table and what happens next.
Provisional IEC figures show a hung council in JB Marks Local Municipality (Potchefstroom and surrounds, North West): the African National Congress is the largest party with 22 of 67 seats, twelve short of the 34 seats needed to govern alone (ESP JB Marks results from IEC data; Rateweb JB Marks results; The People's Register seat tracker from IEC files; Potchefstroom Herald; News24 live results).
Treat seats as provisional until the IEC formally declares the council. ESP shows all 34 wards complete. Rateweb and ESP both read the combined ward-plus-PR vote share as about ANC 33.2% and DA 31.8%.
What is the JB Marks seat split?
| Party | Ward | PR | Total seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANC | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| DA | 12 | 9 | 21 |
| Freedom Front Plus | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| EFF | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| ActionSA | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Baagi | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| ACDP | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| SACP | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Patriotic Alliance | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| MK Party | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Concerned Potchefstroom Residents | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Council size: 67 seats. Majority: 34. No party has it (ESP / The People's Register / Potchefstroom Herald from IEC data).
How close was the race?
On the combined ballot totals Rateweb lists from the IEC, the ANC has about 45,941 votes (33.2%) and the DA about 44,042 (31.8%). The Potchefstroom Herald said the gap was about 1,899 votes and 1.37 percentage points, with the ANC on 33.15% and the DA on 31.78%. Freedom Front Plus is third on about 9.3% of the vote and 6 seats.
The ANC took 22 ward seats. The DA took 12 wards but climbed to 21 seats once proportional representation seats were added (ESP).
What happens next in Potchefstroom?
Because no party has 34 seats, parties will need a coalition or minority deal to elect a speaker and executive mayor. Under the Municipal Structures Act, the first meeting of a new council must be held within 14 days of the IEC declaring the results. Councillors elect the speaker first, then the mayor.
Smaller parties with seats (Freedom Front Plus, EFF, ActionSA, Baagi and others) can decide which bloc reaches 34. No deal has been confirmed in the sources above.
For the national picture of hung councils and metro counts, see our 122 hung councils update. For the mayor timeline rules, see 14 days to elect a mayor.
Where to check your ward
Use the IEC results dashboard, ESP's JB Marks page, or Rateweb's JB Marks page. Figures stay provisional until the IEC's formal declaration.
FAQ
Did the ANC win JB Marks outright?
No. The ANC has 22 of 67 seats on provisional IEC figures. A majority needs 34, so the council is hung (ESP / Rateweb / The People's Register / Potchefstroom Herald).
What is the JB Marks seat split?
ANC 22, DA 21, Freedom Front Plus 6, EFF 5, ActionSA 5, Baagi 3, and one seat each for ACDP, SACP, Patriotic Alliance, MK Party and Concerned Potchefstroom Residents (ESP and The People's Register from IEC data).
Where is JB Marks?
It is a local municipality in North West that includes Potchefstroom and nearby towns (municipal code NW405).
When must JB Marks elect a mayor?
The first council meeting must be held within 14 days of the IEC declaring the results. Parties need a coalition or minority deal because no party has 34 seats.
How close were the ANC and DA?
On Rateweb's IEC read, the ANC has about 33.2% (about 45,941 votes) and the DA about 31.8% (about 44,042). The Potchefstroom Herald put the gap at about 1,899 votes.