South Africa: 142,072 candidates for 10,526 seats in the November 4, 2026 municipal elections

South Africa will elect its municipal councils on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, with 142,072 validated candidacies for 10,526 councilor seats, representing an increase of approximately 43% compared to the roughly 99,000 candidacies in 2021. These figures were presented by the Electoral Commission (IEC) during a press briefing in Centurion in early September 2026, as reported by Engineering News.

In detail, 100,856 party candidates are targeting ward seats, 40,241 are running for proportional representation seats, and 975 individuals are standing as independents. The IEC also indicated that 2,274 candidacies entered into its online system were not submitted before the deadline, involving 45 parties; these are now out of the race.

A political landscape in flux

546 of the 732 locally registered parties are participating in the election, representing 75%. Competition is concentrated in major cities: 80 parties are vying for proportional representation seats in Johannesburg, 72 in Tshwane, 70 in eThekwini (Durban), 69 in Ekurhuleni, and 55 in Cape Town, according to the IEC.

According to an analysis by political scientist Susan Booysen published by the Daily Maverick, the ANC lost 17 points nationally between 2019 and 2024, and 15 points in Gauteng: a gradual decline rather than a collapse. The party is expected to retain an absolute majority in approximately 105 of the 205 local municipalities, compared to 11 for the DA and 9 for the IFP, though many of these majorities are very slim.

The era of coalitions

Following the 2021 election, 70 of the country's 257 municipalities were governed by coalitions; today there are 76, according to the same analysis, which expects a further proliferation of alliances. Small and medium-sized parties are expected to act as kingmakers. The bill intended to regulate coalitions will not be passed before the vote, meaning negotiations will take place without a new framework, risking a scenario where the management of public services is sidelined by power struggles.

Instructions for voters

Polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., following special voting on November 2 and 3, 2026, according to the government news service SAnews. Each person must vote at the station where they are registered, and registration can be verified on the IEC website, by SMS to 32810 with a 13-digit ID number, or via WhatsApp at 060 088 0000.

Only the smart ID card, the old green barcoded ID book, or a valid temporary identity certificate are accepted: driver's licenses, passports, and photocopies are not. Voters will receive two ballots in a metropolitan municipality and three in a local municipality.