Local Elections 2026: DA surges, ANC slides and metros face massive coalition test - EWN

Five years ago, South Africans voted in a pandemic-hit local election that birthed a record number of hung councils.

In 2026, voters returned to the polls in higher numbers, not just to voice their frustration over crumbling municipal services, but to completely realign city halls.

From the MK Party's aggressive push into eThekwini to ActionSA's explosive surge in Tshwane, the battle for the metros has completely rewritten the playbook for local governance.

The numbers don't lie; the country's cities are moving decisively into a permanent multiparty era.

A side-by-side comparison of the 2021 and 2026 municipal elections so far reveals a stark divergence in metropolitan performance. While the ANC's national footprint moved further toward historic lows, the DA has solidified key strongholds and surged in others, leaving almost all metros bound to complex coalition negotiations.

In 2021, the ANC fell below 50% nationally for the first time, getting 45.6%. In 2026, initial data shows the ANC sliding further to roughly 32% nationally on the proportional representation (PR) ballot, with the DA climbing to around 25%.