Coalition negotiators to decide the fate of municipalities
The 2026 local government elections in South Africa is expected to produce many hung councils and complex coalitions, reshaping the political landscape ahead of the 2029 general elections.
South African voters go to the polls in little over two weeks. The 2026 local government elections on November 4 are expected to be another chastening day for the African National Congress (ANC). Support for the once unassailable liberation movement continues to plummet, but voters are not flocking to the country’s next-biggest party, the Democratic Alliance (DA). Instead, support is fragmenting, setting up a fraught post-election period during which coalitions will need to be thrashed out. As such, the fate of many municipalities will be in the hands of party negotiators rather than voters
The elections are hugely consequential, but turnout is expected to be low as voters, weary of petty politicking and dysfunctional coalitions, ask: “Does my vote count?”
Our LGE2026 Research Briefing looks at the trends and the important races, explores how the election picture can change in the two weeks between the results announcement and the first vote for mayor in council, and sets out what it means for the stability of the national coalition government, and for 2029 – the year of the next general election.
Download the report for more detailed insights.
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