This report provides a comprehensive overview of South Africa’s 2026 local government election results and projections, comparing party support across the 2011, 2016, 2021, and 2026 elections.

It includes national party standings, the relationship between African National Congress (ANC) support and unemployment, electoral trends across the country’s eight metropolitan municipalities, comparisons between voting patterns in metropolitan and non-metropolitan municipalities, and party standings in the nine provinces. All party figures are shares of the proportional representation (PR) vote, the ballot on which voters choose a party in each council. The report draws on Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) results for 2011, 2016, 2021, and 2026, and on projections of the 2026 PR vote from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), highlighting changes in party support over the past 15 years. Where available, the charts also show the Social Research Foundation (SRF) poll of September and October 2026.

The 2026 figures are the CSIR’s projections of the PR vote when about 85% of voting districts had been declared.

National

This section looks at party support across South Africa. The first chart shows each party’s share of the PR vote at the 2011, 2016, and 2021 local elections, alongside the SRF poll of September and October 2026, and the CSIR projection for 2026. The second sets the ANC’s share against the average five-year unemployment rate into each election year.

National party support

Nationally, ANC support has fallen at every local election, from 63% in 2011 to 54% in 2016 and 46% in 2021, and the CSIR projects 31% for 2026. Democratic Alliance (DA) support has been comparatively steady, at 24%, 27%, and 22% in those elections, and 25% in the 2026 CSIR projection. The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), contesting its first local election, is projected at 10%.

ANC support and unemployment

ANC support declined from 63% in 2011 to 54% in 2016, and 46% in 2021, and the CSIR projects 31% for 2026. Over the same period, the five-year average unemployment rate rose from 23.4% to 25.3%, 29.4%, and 32.7%.

Metros

This section looks at the eight metropolitan municipalities, beginning with Johannesburg, Tshwane, and eThekwini, the three metros the SRF polled. Each chart shows each party’s share of the PR vote at the 2011, 2016, and 2021 elections, and the CSIR projection for 2026. The section ends by comparing the eight metros combined with all other municipalities.

Johannesburg

The ANC fell from 59% in 2011 to 45% in 2016, and 33% in 2021, and the CSIR projects 20% for 2026. The DA moved from 34% to 38%, then 25%, and is projected to recover to 34% in 2026, well ahead of the ANC. ActionSA, at 18% in 2021, is projected at 17% in 2026.

Tshwane

ANC support in Tshwane declined from 56% in 2011 to 41% in 2016 and 35% in 2021, and the CSIR projects 20% for 2026. The DA went from 39% to 43%, fell to 32% in 2021 and is projected at 33% in 2026. ActionSA, at 9% in 2021, is projected at 23% in 2026, which is ahead of the ANC.

eThekwini

The ANC declined from 62% in 2011 to 59% in 2016 and 43% in 2021, and the CSIR projects 17% for 2026. The MKP, which was not on the ballot in the earlier local elections, is projected at 38%, while the DA is projected at 25%, compared with 22% in 2011.

Buffalo City

The ANC remained the largest party in Buffalo City, with 69.1% in 2011, 59.9% in 2016 and 60.5% in 2021. With every voting district counted, it won 41.6% in 2026, the same as the CSIR’s final projection. DA support moved from 20.3% to 23.5% and 19.5% through 2011 and 2021, with the party winning 16.2% in 2026. Smaller parties together won 37.1% in 2026, led by the United Democratic Movement on 20.3%.

Cape Town

The DA remained the largest party in Cape Town, with 61% in 2011, 67% in 2016 and 59% in 2021, and the CSIR projects 57% for 2026. ANC support declined from 33% to 25% and 19%, and is projected at 14%.

Ekurhuleni

The ANC fell from 62% in 2011 to 49% in 2016 and 38% in 2021, and the CSIR projects 22% for 2026. The DA was much more stable, at 30%, 34%, and 28%, and is projected at 30% in 2026, ahead of the ANC. ActionSA, at 7% in 2021, is projected at 20% in 2026.

Mangaung

The ANC fell from 67% in 2011 to 57% in 2016 and 52% in 2021, and in 2026, with all voting districts counted the party had 33.9%, slightly above the CSIR's projection. The DA, was at 27%, 26%, and 25% in 2011, 2016, and 2021, respectively, and won 34% in 2026.

Nelson Mandela Bay

ANC support declined from 52% in 2011 to 42% in 2016 and 40% in 2021, and the CSIR projects 26% for 2026. The DA recorded 40%, 47% and 40%, and is projected at 44% in 2026, making it the leading party.

Eight metros combined

Across the eight metros, ANC support fell from 55% in 2011 to 44% in 2016 and 35% in 2021, and the CSIR projections average 20% for 2026. The DA recorded 37%, 42%, and 34%, and averages 36% in the projections, a lead of 16 percentage points over the ANC.

Municipalities outside the eight metros

Outside the eight metros, ANC support declined from 69% in 2011 to 62% in 2016 and 53% in 2021, and the CSIR projections average 39% for 2026. The DA moved from 15% to 16% and 14%, and averages 16% in 2026, while the MKP averages 10%.

Provinces

This section looks at the nine provinces in alphabetical order. Each chart shows each party’s share of the PR vote across the province’s municipalities at the 2011, 2016, and 2021 elections, and the CSIR projection for 2026, averaged across the province’s councils.

Eastern Cape

The ANC declined from 72% in 2011 to 66% in 2016 and 64% in 2021, and the CSIR projections average 47% for 2026. DA support moved from 16% to 20%, and 15%, and is projected at 18% in 2026.

Free State

The ANC fell from 72% in 2011 to 62% in 2016 and 51% in 2021, and the CSIR projections average 37% for 2026. The DA recorded 20% in 2011, 21% in 2016, and 19% in 2021, and averages 27% in 2026, narrowing the gap substantially.

Gauteng

ANC support in Gauteng declined from 60% in 2011 to 46% in 2016 and 36% in 2021, and the CSIR projections average 21% for 2026. DA support was 33%, 37%, and 28%, and averages 32% in 2026, ahead of the ANC, with ActionSA at 18%.

KwaZulu-Natal

The ANC recorded 58% in 2011 and 59% in 2016, before falling to 42% in 2021, and the CSIR projections average 20% for 2026. The MKP averages 35%, while the DA averages 15%, compared with 12% in 2011, 15% in 2016, and 13% in 2021.

Limpopo

The ANC remained the largest party in Limpopo, although support dropped from 83% in 2011 to 69% in 2016 and held at 70% in 2021, and the CSIR projections average 54% for 2026. The DA recorded 7%, 8%, and 6%, and averages 8% in 2026. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has been the second-biggest party in the province in that period, having support of 17% and 15% in 2011 and 2016, respectively, and projected supported levels of 11% in 2026.

Mpumalanga

ANC support fell from 79% in 2011 to 71% in 2016 and 61% in 2021, and the CSIR projections average 45% for 2026. The DA remained relatively stable at 14%, 13%, and 12%, averaging 13%, while the MKP averages 10%.

Northern Cape

ANC support declined from 64% in 2011 to 59% in 2016 and 51% in 2021, and the CSIR projections average 42% for 2026. The DA recorded 22%, 25%, and 20%, and averages 22% in 2026. The PA averages 8%, up from 3% in 2021.

North West

The ANC declined from 75% in 2011 to 59% in 2016 and 56% in 2021, and the CSIR projections average 44% for 2026. The DA went from 16% to 15% and 11%, and averages 14% in 2026.

Western Cape

The DA retained its lead in the Western Cape, moving from 58% in 2011 to 64% in 2016 and 55% in 2021, and the CSIR projections average 54% for 2026. The ANC declined steadily from 34% to 26% and 20%, and averages 15% in 2026.