2026 Election Results Winners and Losers: Catastrophe for the ANC and EFF and good news for the DA, ActionSA, VF Plus, and PA

The African National Congress (ANC) was dealt a blow in the 2026 local government elections, with its secretary general calling the election results a catastrophe.

South Africa’s local government elections took place between Monday, 2 November 2026, and Wednesday, 4 November 2026.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said that 15.9 million South Africans have voted at 23,696 voting stations countrywide.

With 99.95% of voting districts having reported their results, it was clear that the biggest loser in the 2026 elections was the ANC.

The former liberation movement’s support plummeted by fifteen percentage points from the last local government elections in 2021.

This sent a clear message to the ANC that South Africans were tired of its corruption, mismanagement, and poor service delivery.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said that the election result has been catastrophic for the party.

“If anyone has not heard what the people are saying through this election, then we are lost. This has been a very catastrophic outcome for the ANC,” he said.

“As much as we are the largest party, it has been catastrophic for the movement. We knew this disaster was coming.”

He added that, although they successfully liberated black South Africans and gave them the right to vote, that is not enough to get their votes.

He said that the ANC needs to ensure that it governs well and provides people with quality services to gain their support.

“The ANC should never be comfortable about this particular space we are in,” he said in response to the poor results.

Biggest winners and losers in the 2026 elections

With 99.95% of the votes counted, the ANC had 30.76%, compared with 24.64% for its main rival, the Democratic Alliance (DA).

Former President Jacob Zuma’s party, uMkhonto weSizwe, had 9.76% of the vote, putting it in third place.

The EFF received 6.22% of the vote, followed by ActionSA on 5.67%, the IFP with 4.69%, and the VF Plus with 2.99%.

At a media briefing on Saturday, 7 November 2026, Malema offered numerous excuses for the EFF’s poor performance in the 2026 elections.

These included that black people voted for the Democratic Alliance, low voter turnout amongst young black voters, and his refusal to take an anti-immigrant stance.

Another reason, he said, was the rise of Jacob Zuma’s MK Party, which disrupted the opposition landscape and ate into the EFF’s voter base.

ActionSA, led by Herman Mashaba, was the biggest winner in the 2026 local government elections, significantly increasing its vote.

Its strong performance across Gauteng will make ActionSA one of the most important players in coalition talks.

“The people have spoken, and ActionSA is making its mark. South Africans, this victory is yours. The momentum is undeniable, and we’re just getting started,” Mashaba said.

Although the DA performed well in most large cities, it only achieved a majority in Cape Town. This means there will need to be coalition talks.

DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis said that they would like to bring parties together around a shared programme of good government for all.

“We seek partners committed to bringing integrity to local government, stable government, and zero tolerance for corruption,” he said.

“We also want merit-based appointments, sound financial management and measurable improvements in basic services for all residents.”

“These principles must apply equally to the DA and to every partner in a government we lead.”

2026 versus 2021 local government election results

Party	2021 LGE	2026 LGE	Change
ANC	45.59%	30.76%	-33%
DA	21.66%	24.64%	+14%
MK	—	9.76%	–
EFF	10.31%	6.22%	-40%
ActionSA	2.33%	5.67%	+143%
IFP	5.64%	4.69%	-17%
VF Plus	2.34%	2.99%	+28%
SACP	—	2.38%	–
PA	0.97%	1.97%	+103%