JOHANNESBURG, Monday 9 November 2026 — The African National Congress (ANC) has lost 28 seats in Johannesburg’s municipal council following the 2026 local government elections, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) has emerged as the largest party in the city.
The new allocation gives the DA 91 seats and the ANC 63, according to figures reported by SABC News on Sunday evening. Neither party has enough seats to govern alone, setting the stage for negotiations over the leadership of South Africa’s largest metropolitan economy.
ANC suffers substantial council losses
The ANC’s representation has fallen from 91 seats after the 2021 elections to 63 in the newly elected council.
The DA’s 91 seats make it the largest party, but it remains 45 seats short of the 136 required for a majority in the 270-seat council.
ActionSA has secured 44 seats, placing it in a potentially influential position in negotiations over the next municipal administration.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have fallen to 17 seats, a loss of 12, while the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has secured 15 seats in its first municipal election.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has retained seven seats, while the Patriotic Alliance, Freedom Front Plus and RISE Mzansi have each been allocated five.
Coalition negotiations determine mayoral prospects
The outcome places DA mayoral candidate Helen Zille in a strong electoral position, although her party cannot elect a mayor without support from other councillors.
ActionSA president Herman Mashaba has also been identified as a potential mayoral contender, with his party expressing reservations about supporting Zille.
ActionSA confirmed on Sunday that it had held preliminary coalition discussions with the ANC, while remaining open to engagement with other political parties.
The allocation leaves several possible combinations of parties capable of reaching a majority, but no governing agreement has been announced.
Johannesburg faces another coalition government
Johannesburg has experienced repeated changes of mayor and governing arrangements since the 2021 elections.
The fragmented result means the next administration will again depend on cooperation between parties that have differed over municipal management, service delivery and coalition leadership.
The newly elected council must convene within the prescribed statutory period to elect its speaker and executive mayor.
The outcome of those negotiations will determine whether the DA leads the next administration or whether an alternative coalition secures sufficient support to govern.
