Mahikeng is hung: ANC wins 34 of 35 wards but falls 2 seats short
Mahikeng (Mafikeng) has a hung council. With all 123 voting districts counted, the ANC has 34 of 70 seats, two short of a majority, after winning 34 of 35 wards. The EFF has 9, the DA 7 and ActionSA 6. Final results are due Sunday at 18:00.
Mahikeng, the North West capital, has a hung council, but only just. With all 123 voting districts counted, the ANC has 34 of the 70 seats, two short of the 36 it needs to govern alone (ESP; The People's Register).
The ANC won 34 of the 35 wards. Its share of the ward vote fell to 44.4%, down from 56.7% in 2021, according to IEC data on ESP. The IEC still lists the municipality as Mafikeng (NW383).
Who won how many seats?
| Party | Ward seats | PR seats | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANC | 34 | 0 | 34 |
| EFF | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| DA | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| ActionSA | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| MK Party | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| SACP | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Nine other parties | 0 | 9 | 9 (one each) |
The nine one-seat parties are the UCDP, Freedom Front Plus, ACDP, African Independent Congress, Patriotic Alliance, Afrika Mayibuye Movement, African Spear Movement, Bophuthatswana Civil Movement and All and Citizens. Source: The People's Register, using the IEC's seat allocation.
Turnout was 46.2% of about 150,000 registered voters, with 67,701 valid ward votes (ESP).
Why does the ANC have no PR seats?
Council seats are shared out according to each party's overall vote, and wards a party wins count towards that share. The ANC's vote earned it roughly 34 seats in total, and it already won 34 wards, so it gets no proportional representation (PR) seats. The other parties' seats come almost entirely from the PR list (The People's Register).
What would it take to reach 36 seats?
This is seat arithmetic, not a prediction. No coalition had been announced in the sources used here.
| Combination | Seats |
|---|---|
| ANC + EFF | 43 |
| ANC + DA | 41 |
| ANC + ActionSA | 40 |
| ANC + MK Party | 37 |
| ANC + SACP | 36 |
| ANC + any two one-seat parties | 36 |
| All 14 other parties together | 36 |
The ANC needs just two more votes in council. A government without the ANC would need every one of the other 14 parties to vote together.
When will Mahikeng get a mayor?
The results are still provisional. The IEC plans to announce the final 2026 local election results at 18:00 on Sunday, 8 November (eNCA), and seat allocations can still change if objections are upheld (IOL).
Once the council is declared, the municipal manager must call the first council meeting within 14 days, where councillors elect a speaker and mayor (Municipal Structures Act; Reported: what happens in a hung council).
How to check your ward result
Use the IEC's results dashboard and search for Mafikeng (NW383). Ward-by-ward results are also on ESP and The People's Register. Only the IEC's declaration is final.
FAQ
Is Mahikeng a hung council after the 2026 election?
Yes. With all 123 voting districts counted, the ANC has 34 of 70 seats, two short of the 36 needed to govern alone. The IEC declares final results on Sunday 8 November at 18:00.
How many seats did each party win in Mahikeng?
ANC 34, EFF 9, DA 7, ActionSA 6, MK Party 3, SACP 2, and one seat each for nine smaller parties, according to the IEC allocation shown by The People's Register.
Which parties could give the ANC a majority in Mahikeng?
Any party with two or more seats would take the ANC to at least 36, as would any two one-seat parties. No coalition had been announced in the sources used here.
When will Mahikeng elect a mayor?
After the IEC declares the result, the municipal manager must call the first council meeting within 14 days, where the speaker and mayor are elected.