South Africa: Electoral Commission Declares Local Govt Elections 2026 Free and Fair

What the report says

South Africa’s Electoral Commission (IEC) has declared the 2026 local government elections free and fair, concluding the vote after final results were announced at the National Results Operation Centre in Midrand. The commission said turnout reached 52%, up from 45.9% in the 2021 local elections, with about 14.9 million of 29.2 million registered voters casting ballots. Chairperson Mosotho Moepya said all 213 municipal councils had been finalized.

According to the IEC, the elections were broadly peaceful and were assessed through an Elections Satisfaction Survey conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council. The survey found high levels of confidence in the process, including strong ratings for electoral integrity and service delivery at voting stations, while also flagging areas for improvement such as intimidation, impartiality, inclusive voting and information gaps. The commission said it would review the process and address concerns raised by voters, parties, observers and staff.

The results showed the ANC leading nationally with 30.76% of the vote, followed by the DA, MK Party, EFF and ActionSA. The IEC said 72 councils produced outright majorities, while 127 were hung councils. It also noted that more than 500 political parties and hundreds of independents contested the election. In broader context, local government elections in South Africa determine control of municipalities that manage everyday services, making the outcome important for service delivery and local accountability.