Government

Joburg hung: DA on track for 97 seats, 39 short of majority

With 93% counted, Johannesburg is heading for a hung council. Rateweb's IEC tracker projects DA 97, ANC 54 and ActionSA 44 of 270 seats. Majority needs 136.

By Reported Team

South African local government election ward and party ballot papers
Photo: Discott via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Johannesburg is heading for another hung metro. With 93% of voting districts counted on Saturday, 7 November 2026, Rateweb's IEC tracker projects the DA at 97 of 270 seats, the ANC at 54, and ActionSA at 44. A party needs 136 seats to govern the City of Johannesburg alone.

That leaves the DA about 39 seats short of a majority on current numbers. These figures are provisional. The IEC allocates proportional representation (PR) seats only when a council reaches 100%, and official final results are due on Sunday, 8 November (Tshwane Bulletin, quoting IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya).

What are the projected Johannesburg seats?

PartyVote shareProjected seats
DA35.9%97
ANC19.8%54
ActionSA16.2%44
EFF6.5%18
MK Party5.4%15
IFP2.4%7
VF Plus1.9%5
Rise Mzansi1.9%5
Patriotic Alliance (PA)1.7%5

Source: Rateweb Johannesburg results (IEC data, 93% of voting districts counted, update 11:51 SAST). Smaller parties are projected one to three seats each. MzansiData shows the same 35.9% / 19.8% / 16.2% vote shares for DA, ANC and ActionSA at the same count stage.

How does that compare with 2021?

The DA's share is up from about 26.1% in 2021, while the ANC has fallen from about 33.6%. ActionSA is roughly flat at about 16% (MzansiData). The MK Party, which did not contest Johannesburg in 2021, is on about 5.4% so far.

How many ward seats does the DA already have?

Ward seats are declared as each ward finishes. So far the DA has 47 ward seats, the ANC 40, ActionSA 8, the IFP 4, the EFF 2, the MK Party 1 and Al Jama-ah 1, with PR seats (half the 270-seat council) still to be allocated once counting hits 100% (Rateweb).

ESP's IEC-based ward map showed 803 of 862 voting districts in by about midday, with the DA still leading the ward ballot (ESP).

Who is contesting the Joburg mayoral race?

Parties are already talking coalitions. IOL reports DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis saying the party has approached other organisations where coalitions are expected, while the ANC said it had not yet opened metro talks.

Named Johannesburg mayoral candidates in that coverage include the DA's Helen Zille, ActionSA's Herman Mashaba, the EFF's Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, ATM's Vuyo Zungula, the PA's Kenny Kunene and BOSA's Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster (IOL). Who becomes mayor depends on the final seat allocation and any coalition deal after the IEC declares the council.

When are the final results announced?

The IEC has scheduled the official national results announcement for Sunday evening, 8 November 2026, around 18:00 (Tshwane Bulletin). Live, provisional figures stay on the IEC results dashboard and trackers such as Rateweb until then.

After a hung council is declared, parties usually have up to 14 days to elect a mayor. Johannesburg's projected seat split means no party can govern alone without partners.

FAQ

Does any party have a majority in Johannesburg yet?

Not on current projections. At 93% counted, Rateweb's IEC-based tracker gives the DA 97 of 270 seats (136 needed). The council is projected hung until the IEC confirms seats at 100% and declares final results on Sunday, 8 November.

How many seats do the ANC and ActionSA get on current numbers?

The ANC is projected at 54 seats (19.8% of the vote) and ActionSA at 44 seats (16.2%), according to Rateweb's Johannesburg tracker.

When will the IEC announce final 2026 local election results?

Sunday evening, 8 November 2026, around 18:00, according to IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya as reported by Tshwane Bulletin.

How soon must a hung Joburg council elect a mayor?

After the IEC declares a hung council, parties usually have up to 14 days to elect a mayor through a coalition or other agreement.

Sources