CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE — The 2026 Local Government Elections in the Western Cape are shaping up to be a defining political moment as the Democratic Alliance (DA) maintains a commanding lead across the province. With results continuing to trickle in from the provincial Results Operation Centre, the battle for control over several municipalities remains the central focus of the electoral landscape.
According to the latest electoral updates, approximately 73% of the votes have been completed at the provincial level, while the City of Cape Town—the province’s only metropolitan municipality—sits at about 48% completion. The DA is currently holding a strong lead in most tallied municipalities. Notably, 16 municipalities in the Western Cape are projected to be hung councils, requiring the formation of coalition governments. The DA has already ruled out coalitions in at least four of these municipalities, with results still outstanding in the remaining 10. In the City of Cape Town, the DA anticipates securing around 58% of the vote, matching the percentage the party achieved in the 2021 local government elections.
Smaller Parties Reflect on Grassroots Performance
Smaller political parties are also evaluating their electoral footprint following the polls. Mfuneko Maqathaza, spokesperson for the United Democratic Movement (UDM), expressed confidence in the party’s slow but steady progress. Although the UDM is not yet prominently reflected on the main results board, Maqathaza noted the party is sitting at 8.3 in their current tallies. He highlighted that the UDM’s primary hope is to secure up to three Proportional Representation (PR) seats. Looking ahead, Maqathaza emphasized the need for greater visibility, improved administration, and more effective door-to-door campaigning to gain voter traction in future elections.
For ActionSA, the election marked a significant entry into the Cape Town political arena. Anslin Gysman, a spokesperson for the party, shared that mayoral candidate Dereleen James is “elated” with the results, despite the campaign starting just four months prior. Sitting at approximately 2.58% of the vote, Gysman described the turnout as exceptional and unheard of for a new party in the metro. He praised James for her authentic connection with mothers and residents on the Cape Flats. While the mayoral chain remains out of reach, Gysman stressed that James prioritizes “impact over influence,” indicating she will take a seat where she can drive the most change, whether on the opposition bench in the city council or elsewhere.
MK Party Celebrates Debut, ANC Plans Introspection
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party is celebrating its debut in the local government elections. Michael Mokobane, the MK Party spokesperson in the province, celebrated the party securing at least two PR seats. Mokobane declared the MK Party the “biggest winner” of the cycle, noting their placement among the top 12 performing parties despite being a relatively new organization. He emphasized that these results dispel the notion that the MK Party is solely a KwaZulu-Natal-based movement, highlighting their growing presence in the Western Cape, West Coast, and Overstrand. Mokobane acknowledged that organizational instability, exacerbated by the party president’s recent illness, initially derailed their campaign. However, following the president’s return and strategic visit to the Western Cape, Mokobane expects strong results and “fireworks” once the Cape Metro votes are fully tallied.
Meanwhile, the African National Congress (ANC) is facing a sobering reality in the province. JJ Tyhalisisu, deputy convenor of the ANC’s provincial interim structure, acknowledged the party’s disappointing performance, with the ANC sitting at approximately 13% provincially and 10% in the City of Cape Town. Tyhalisisu confirmed that the party will conduct a thorough introspection to determine what went wrong. He identified low voter turnout in their traditional base areas as a major contributing factor, linking it directly to voter satisfaction with the government. Despite the overall decline, Tyhalisisu noted that the ANC successfully retained the majority of its wards in both the metro and rural areas, and even regained several wards previously lost in by-elections to the EFF, the MK Party, and the Land Party.
