ANC-DA talks in Mpumalanga: a deal would run 11 of 14 hung councils

The DA in Mpumalanga has started coalition talks with the ANC's provincial leadership and the new Service Delivery Party (SDP), led by provincial leader Jane Sithole (The Citizen). No deal has been reached, and any agreement still needs sign-off from the DA's federal executive (The Citizen).

On provisional IEC seat counts, an ANC and DA pact would have a majority in 11 of the province's 14 hung local councils, including Mbombela, Emalahleni, Govan Mbeki and Steve Tshwete (The Outlier).

How did the parties do in Mpumalanga?

The ANC took 43.7% across the province, the DA 14.6%, the EFF 10.3%, MK 9.5% and the SDP 5.3% (The Citizen). That makes the DA the second-biggest party in Mpumalanga, ahead of the EFF and MK.

Only three of the 17 local councils have a one-party majority, all ANC: Nkomazi (37 of 69 seats), Bushbuckridge (50 of 79) and Chief Albert Luthuli (26 of 49) (Nkomazi, Bushbuckridge, Chief Albert Luthuli, via The Outlier).

Where would an ANC-DA deal get a majority?

Seats are provisional IEC results via The Outlier (linked per council), as at 13 November 2026.

Msukaligwa (Ermelo), Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme (Volksrust) and Dipaleseng (Balfour) are on a knife-edge: ANC plus DA gives exactly the number needed and no spare.

Where it doesn't work

In Lekwa (Standerton), the two parties would be one seat short at 14 of 15.

In Mkhondo (Piet Retief), MK is the biggest party with 16 of 38 seats, ahead of the ANC on 13 (The Outlier).

In Victor Khanye (Delmas), the SDP is the largest party on 7 of 17 seats. The SDP and ANC together would have 12, a majority (The Outlier).

Does the SDP change the maths elsewhere?

In Mbombela, the ANC (43) and SDP (8) would have 51 seats, above the 46 needed, without the DA (The Outlier). In Dr JS Moroka, ANC 29 plus SDP 3 gives exactly the 32 needed (The Outlier). In Emalahleni the SDP's 4 seats aren't enough to get the ANC over the line (The Outlier).

Will the ANC agree to work with the DA?

That is not settled. The ANC's national executive committee has resolved that the DA should be a partner of last resort for municipal coalitions, according to SABC News. Business Day's sources say the party wants a council-by-council approach instead of one national formula (Business Day).

Sithole said that taking part in talks "does not constitute an agreement to govern together" (The Citizen).

When do these councils have to sit?

The IEC gazetted elected councillors on 13 November, starting a 14-day deadline for first council meetings, where mayors and speakers are elected (EWN). Steve Tshwete has already set its first sitting for 17 November (Reported).