Mangaung final count: ANC 36 seats, DA 33, hung council
With every Mangaung voting district counted, the ANC has 36 of 101 seats and the DA 33, so Bloemfontein has a hung council that needs 51 seats to govern.
The ANC has finished narrowly ahead of the DA in Mangaung, but nobody has a majority. With all 388 voting districts counted, the ANC has 36 of 101 seats and the DA 33, leaving the Bloemfontein metro with a hung council that needs 51 seats to govern (Rateweb, from IEC data at 08:36 on 7 November 2026, The Ledger SA, from IEC data).
That reverses the early picture. On Thursday, with about a quarter of districts in, the DA was ahead (our earlier Mangaung results report). The figures below are provisional until the IEC formally declares the results.
How many seats did each party get in Mangaung?
| Party | Seats | Ward seats | PR seats | Share of ballots |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANC | 36 | 36 | 0 | 33.9% |
| DA | 33 | 13 | 20 | 33.5% |
| EFF | 9 | 1 | 8 | 8.6% |
| VF Plus | 6 | 0 | 6 | 5.9% |
| PA | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4.3% |
| ActionSA | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2.7% |
| SACP | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1.6% |
| Eight smaller parties | 1 each | 0 | 8 | under 1.3% each |
Source: Rateweb, from IEC data. The eight one-seat parties are the NSDF, ATM, ACIM, MK Party, AASD, Mangaung Seven People's Voice, AIC and ACDP. The share column combines ward and PR ballots, which is the total the law uses to allocate seats.
How does this compare with 2021?
The ANC won Mangaung outright in 2021. On the party (PR) ballot its share fell from 51.5% to 34.3%, while the DA rose from 25.5% to 33.6%. Turnout was 51.3%, up from 43.5% (The Ledger SA, from IEC data).
| Party | 2021 PR vote | 2026 PR vote |
|---|---|---|
| ANC | 51.5% | 34.3% |
| DA | 25.5% | 33.6% |
| EFF | 11.4% | 8.7% |
| VF Plus | 4.4% | 5.9% |
| PA | 1.8% | 4.3% |
Why is the ANC ahead if the DA got so close?
The ANC won 36 of the 51 wards. The DA won 13 wards and the PA and EFF one each (The Ledger SA ward results). PR seats are then used to top parties up to their overall share, which is why the DA's 33 seats are mostly PR seats (Rateweb).
What happens next in a hung council?
No party can elect a mayor alone. On the seat numbers, the ANC and DA are the only two parties that pass 51 seats as a pair; any other majority needs three or more parties. The new council must hold its first sitting within 14 days of the results being declared, where it elects a speaker, executive mayor and chief whip (Municipal Structures Act, section 29, on SAFLII). Until then, the current administration keeps running services.
Where can you check the official Mangaung results?
Use the IEC results dashboard, which shows seats, ward winners and voting district results once captured. The IEC has said final national results are expected around 11 November 2026.
FAQ
Who won Mangaung in the 2026 local election?
No party won a majority. With all districts counted the ANC has 36 of 101 seats and the DA 33, so the council is hung. The results are provisional until the IEC declares them.
How many seats are needed to govern Mangaung?
51 of the 101 council seats are needed for a majority.
When will Mangaung get a new mayor?
The new council must hold its first sitting within 14 days of the results being declared, and it elects the executive mayor at that meeting.