Local elections: ANC leads in 115 South African councils
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Sunday Express
The ANC is leading in 115 councils after 97% of voting districts were counted in South Africa’s local elections, with nearly 31% of the vote and control of 48 councils without an alliance. Coalition talks are beginning as many councils remain without an outright majority, according to IOL.
With 97% of voting-district results counted in South Africa’s local elections, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) is leading in 115 municipal councils, including 48 under majority control, with nearly 31% of the national vote, according to IOL. The Democratic Alliance (DA) is leading in 27 councils and controls 11, with nearly 25% of the vote.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) are each leading in 18 councils, with the IFP currently holding a majority in five of them. A lead in the number of seats is not enough to form an administration alone when no party reaches a majority, opening the way for coalition talks, notably between the ANC and DA, according to IOL.
About 15.9 million people voted, representing an estimated turnout of 54.5% of the 29.2 million registered voters, compared with 45.86% in the 2021 local elections. The ANC remains ahead nationally, while the DA dominates in the Western Cape and Gauteng and the MK leads in KwaZulu-Natal, according to IOL.
These provisional results come as the MK negotiates a coalition with the ANC in eThekwini to oust the DA. They follow the initial results showing 110 South African councils without a majority, published on 6 November.
