The Democratic Alliance (DA) has emerged as the largest party in Ekurhuleni following the completion of vote counting in the 2026 Local Government Elections. However, with 66 seats in the 224-member council, the party will need support from other political parties to secure a governing majority.

The results place Ekurhuleni on the brink of another coalition government, with neither the DA nor the African National Congress (ANC) securing enough seats to govern the metro independently.

The DA secured 66 seats, while the ANC obtained 59. A party needs 113 seats to achieve an outright majority in the council, meaning the DA requires the support of at least 47 additional councillors. The ANC would need another 54 seats to reach the same threshold.

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Following its electoral performance, the DA’s Federal Executive has resolved to open coalition discussions with political parties in municipalities where no single party secured an outright majority.

In a statement released on November 7, DA Federal Council chairperson Ashor Sarupen said the party had been mandated to engage with political parties that shared its commitment to clean and accountable government, fighting corruption, improving service delivery, upholding the rule of law and non-racialism.

“These principles will form the foundation of our approach to coalition negotiations,” Sarupen said.

He said the DA aimed to establish stable and effective governments that put residents first, restore accountability and deliver the services communities deserve.

The party also indicated that coalition negotiations would be coordinated nationally under the authority of its Federal Executive to ensure a consistent approach across the country.

ActionSA, which secured 40 seats, is among the key players in the new council and could have significant influence over the formation of the next administration. The MK Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have also secured representation.

While the DA has secured the largest share of council seats, its ability to translate this electoral support into governing power will depend on the outcome of negotiations with smaller parties.

The ANC, despite finishing second, also remains a significant force in council and could seek support from other parties to establish an alternative governing arrangement.

For Ekurhuleni residents, the negotiations will be particularly important given the municipality’s longstanding service delivery challenges, including water interruptions, electricity failures, deteriorating roads, sewage infrastructure problems and refuse collection concerns.

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The DA has said it will approach negotiations with humility and respect the will of voters while seeking partners who share its vision of stable and accountable local government.

Ultimately, the election results have not given any party an outright mandate to govern Ekurhuleni alone. The next administration will instead depend on political negotiations and the ability of parties to find common ground.

For residents who have endured years of service delivery frustrations and political instability, the immediate concern will be whether the new political arrangement can deliver the stability, accountability and improved municipal services they have been demanding.

The counting may be complete, but the negotiations to govern Ekurhuleni are only beginning.