IEC declares 2026 local government elections free and fair

The South African Electoral Commission (IEC) has declared the 2026 Local Government Elections to be free and fair. IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya announced this on Sunday evening at the Results Operations Centre in Midrand, where he also released the final results of the election. Approximately 14.9 million voters participated in the process.

Moepya called upon South Africans to celebrate their evolving democracy. He emphasized that safeguarding electoral integrity involves protecting the information environment alongside physical security measures. Moepya affirmed that the elections were largely peaceful. The commission's findings from the Elections Satisfaction Survey 2026 indicate high voter satisfaction regarding the election's integrity and operational efficiency.

The ANC emerged as the largest party, securing 30.76% of the vote and 3,246 council seats, though this is a significant decrease from previous elections. The Democratic Alliance (DA) maintained its second-place position and expanded its influence. The MK Party made a notable entry into the local government landscape. However, only 74 out of the 213 councils had clear majority winners, leaving 127 councils with hung councils.

This situation will likely lead to coalition negotiations, as power-sharing agreements will decide the governance of many of South Africa's major urban centers and municipalities over the next five years.