MBOMBELA, Monday 9 November 2026 — The Service Delivery Party (SDP) has emerged as the largest party in Victor Khanye Local Municipality in Mpumalanga following the 2026 local government elections, displacing the African National Congress (ANC) from its leading position in the council.
The SDP, a relatively new political formation associated with former ANC figures Thabo Motau and Mandla Msibi, secured seven of the municipality’s 17 council seats, according to election results reported by TimesLIVE and published IEC-derived council allocations.
New party wins more seats than ANC
The SDP secured five ward seats and two proportional representation seats, giving it seven councillors.
The ANC won five seats, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Our Last Hope with two each. The Freedom Front Plus secured one seat.
The result leaves the SDP two seats short of the nine required for an outright majority.
On the ward ballot, the SDP received approximately 39.8% of valid votes, compared with the ANC’s 28.2%.
The party’s performance is particularly significant because it has overtaken the ANC in a municipality where the governing party previously held the leading position.
Former ANC figures behind SDP
TimesLIVE identified former ANC Youth League provincial treasurer Thabo Motau and former Mpumalanga MEC and ANC provincial treasurer Mandla Msibi as figures associated with the SDP.
The party’s electoral performance marks a significant breakthrough for a recently established political organisation competing against the ANC’s established structures in the province.
The outcome also illustrates the growing influence of smaller and locally organised parties in municipal elections.
ANC loses outright majorities across Mpumalanga
The Victor Khanye result forms part of a wider decline in ANC municipal dominance in Mpumalanga.
TimesLIVE reported on Sunday that the ANC had secured outright majorities in only three municipalities: Chief Albert Luthuli, Nkomazi and Bushbuckridge.
The party will therefore need support from other political formations to govern several councils where it previously enjoyed stronger control.
The report also identified significant setbacks for the ANC in Mbombela and Mkhondo, where coalition negotiations are expected to influence the composition of the next administrations.
Coalition negotiations will determine municipal leadership
Although the SDP has emerged as the largest party in Victor Khanye, it cannot govern alone.
A coalition or other council support arrangement will be required to elect municipal office-bearers and establish a functioning administration.
The SDP could potentially secure the necessary majority through cooperation with other parties represented in the council.
However, the election result does not automatically give the party the mayoralty, and no confirmed coalition agreement has been established.
The composition of Victor Khanye’s next municipal government will be determined when the newly elected councillors convene and elect their leadership.
