Rise Tsantsabane wins Postmasburg outright: 7 of 13 seats
Rise Tsantsabane Communities, registered in February 2026, took 7 of 13 seats and 43.8% of the vote in Tsantsabane (Postmasburg), cutting the ANC to 3 seats after a full count.
A community party registered only in February 2026 has taken outright control of Tsantsabane Local Municipality (Postmasburg) in the Northern Cape. Rise Tsantsabane Communities (RTC) won a majority of seats after a complete count of the 4 November 2026 local elections (Rateweb from IEC data, IOL).
Who won Tsantsabane and by how many seats?
| Party | Vote share | Seats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rise Tsantsabane Communities (RTC) | 43.8% | 7 of 13 | Majority (7 needed) |
| ANC | 29.1% | 3 of 13 | Down from 7 seats in 2021 |
| DA | 10.9% | 1 of 13 |
Rateweb's live IEC feed, updated about 11:24 SAST on Friday 6 November, shows the count complete at 100% of voting districts and confirms RTC has a majority with 7 of 13 seats (Rateweb from IEC data). IOL reported that RTC swept the ward contests across the mining belt and can govern Postmasburg without a coalition (IOL).
What is Rise Tsantsabane Communities?
IOL reports the organisation, led by Michael Mabilo, registered with the Electoral Commission on 18 February 2026 after community protests over municipal infrastructure and local mining jobs (IOL). In nine months it moved from registration to an outright council majority.
How does this fit the Northern Cape picture?
Tsantsabane is an outlier in a province where hung councils rose sharply. IOL, citing the count at about 99% in the Northern Cape, said 17 municipal councils there were hung, up from 10 after the 2021 local elections (IOL). Separately, The Outlier's national local-council tracker (outside the metros) showed 119 of 205 councils decided by 11:25 SAST on Friday, with 83 hung (The Outlier).
Nationally, final metro and remaining council declarations are still due. The IEC has said parties had until 17:00 on Friday 6 November to lodge section 65 objections, with the formal results process continuing into the weekend (Rekord / Citizen).
What happens next in Postmasburg?
Because RTC holds a majority, it can elect a mayor and pass council decisions without a coalition partner, subject to the Municipal Structures Act timelines for the first council meeting. Residents should still treat seat tallies as provisional until the IEC completes verification and any objections are decided (IEC results dashboard).
FAQ
Who won Tsantsabane in the 2026 local elections?
Rise Tsantsabane Communities (RTC) won a majority with 7 of 13 seats and 43.8% of the vote, according to Rateweb reading of IEC data with 100% of voting districts counted.
Does RTC need a coalition in Postmasburg?
No. Seven seats is a majority on the 13-seat council, so RTC can govern without a coalition partner once the council is constituted.
How many seats does the ANC have in Tsantsabane now?
Three seats on 29.1% of the vote, down from an outright majority of seven seats previously, according to IOL and Rateweb.