Merafong hung: first Gauteng local with no majority
Merafong City (Carletonville) is the first fully counted Gauteng local with no majority: ANC 17 of 49 seats. Midvaal, Lesedi and Rand West are still finishing.
Merafong City is the first fully counted Gauteng local municipality with no party above half the seats, according to provisional IEC results. The ANC has 17 of 49 seats in the Carletonville, Fochville and Khutsong council, eight short of the 25 needed to govern alone (Rateweb from IEC data, ESP from IEC data).
Nationally, about 74% of voting districts were counted by mid-morning on Friday, with 115 of 213 councils finished: 34 with a majority and 81 hung (Rateweb from IEC data, update about 10:04 Africa/Johannesburg).
What do Merafong's seats look like?
| Party | Seats | How they were won |
|---|---|---|
| ANC | 17 | 17 ward, 0 PR |
| DA | 11 | 7 ward, 4 PR |
| EFF | 4 | 0 ward, 4 PR |
| One Merafong Organisation (OMO) | 4 | 1 ward, 3 PR |
| MK Party | 3 | 0 ward, 3 PR |
| VF Plus | 2 | 0 ward, 2 PR |
| ActionSA | 2 | 0 ward, 2 PR |
| IFP | 1 | 0 ward, 1 PR |
| PAC | 1 | 0 ward, 1 PR |
| AIC | 1 | 0 ward, 1 PR |
| SACP | 1 | 0 ward, 1 PR |
| Patriotic Alliance | 1 | 0 ward, 1 PR |
| Labour Party of South Africa | 1 | 0 ward, 1 PR |
Source: ESP Merafong seat table from IEC data. Majority means more than half of 49 seats (25). Figures are provisional until the IEC declares them.
On the ward ballot so far, the ANC leads Merafong on about 33.5%, ahead of the DA on about 23% and the EFF on about 8.8%, with local party One Merafong Organisation on about 8.5% (ESP from IEC data).
How are the other Gauteng locals looking?
Gauteng's other local municipalities (outside the three metros) are still counting or awaiting final seat allocation (Rateweb from IEC data, ESP Gauteng):
| Council | Main towns | Counted (approx.) | Leading so far |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merafong City | Carletonville, Fochville, Khutsong | Finished | Hung: ANC 17 of 49 |
| Midvaal | Meyerton | About 94% to 100% | DA leading (about 63.5%) |
| Lesedi | Heidelberg | About 97% | DA leading (about 30.5%) |
| Rand West City | Randfontein, Westonaria | About 97% | ANC leading (about 32.4%) |
| Mogale City | Krugersdorp | About 89% | Contested; DA and ANC close on early leads |
| Emfuleni | Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark | About 4% to 5% | Too early; DA ahead on tiny sample |
Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni remain unfinished, with the DA leading the vote share in all three on Friday morning snapshots (Rateweb from IEC data). Reported already covers those metros in dedicated results pieces.
What happens next in Merafong?
Parties must form a coalition or another arrangement. The new council must hold its first meeting within 14 days of the results being declared, where it elects the speaker and mayor. See Reported's hung council explainer. Objections that could change a result must reach the IEC by 17:00 today, Friday 6 November (IEC Section 65 objections).
Follow live figures on the IEC results dashboard and Rateweb's IEC feed.
FAQ
Is Merafong City hung after the 2026 election?
Yes, provisionally. The ANC has 17 of 49 seats, short of the 25 needed for a majority, according to IEC figures compiled by Rateweb and ESP.
Which other Gauteng locals are finished?
Merafong is the first Gauteng local marked fully counted and hung. Midvaal, Lesedi, Rand West City, Mogale City and Emfuleni were still counting or awaiting seats on Friday morning.
When must Merafong elect a mayor?
The new council must hold its first meeting, where the mayor is elected, within 14 days of the results being declared.