ANC loses outright majority in Msukaligwa municipal elections
See how the November 4 elections have shaped local representation, including the distribution of political power across the municipality.
ERMELO – The ANC has lost its outright majority on the Msukaligwa Municipal Council following the November 4 local government elections, with the party securing 14 of the municipality’s 38 council seats.
The latest Electoral Commission (IEC) results dashboard, reflecting 100% of votes counted, shows the ANC receiving 36.64% support, followed by the MK Party with 20.96% and the DA with 14.78%.
The result marks a significant change from the 2021 municipal elections, when the ANC secured 24 seats and retained control of the municipality.
The party has now lost 10 council seats, leaving it six seats short of the 20 required for an outright majority.
How parties performed in Msukaligwa
According to the IEC results dashboard, the allocation of the municipality’s 38 council seats is as follows:
| Political party | Seats | Support |
|---|---|---|
| ANC | 14 | 36.64% |
| MK Party | 8 | 20.96% |
| DA | 6 | 14.78% |
| EFF | 2 | 5.76% |
| Msukaligwa People First (MPF) | 2 | 4.98% |
| SACP | 2 | 4.41% |
| FF Plus | 2 | 4.17% |
| Service Delivery Party (SDP) | 1 | 3.92% |
| Patriotic Alliance (PA) | 1 | 1.29% |
| Total | 38 |
The MK Party secured eight seats, making it the second-largest party on council, followed by the DA with six.
In comparison, the 2021 council consisted of 24 ANC councillors, seven EFF councillors, four DA councillors, two FF Plus councillors and one ACDP councillor.
The ACDP has not secured a seat in the new council, while the MK Party, MPF, SACP, SDP and PA will all have representation.
What the results mean for Msukaligwa
With no political party securing 20 seats, Msukaligwa is now classified as a hung council.
This means the ANC can no longer rely on its own councillors to secure a majority when council decisions require one.
The election results mark a shift in the balance of power on the municipal council, where decisions requiring majority support will now depend on votes from more than one political party.
Ward councillors and representation
Msukaligwa has 38 council seats, comprising 19 directly elected ward councillors and 19 proportional representation (PR) councillors.
Each ward elects one councillor, while PR seats are allocated according to the prescribed electoral formula, taking parties’ overall support and ward victories into account.
What happens next?
Following the declaration of the election results, the newly elected municipal council must hold its first meeting within 14 days.
At the first council meeting, councillors will elect the speaker and executive mayor in accordance with the prescribed procedures.
The new council will be responsible for municipal decision-making, oversight, budgets and service delivery priorities over the next five years.
Editor’s note: The election results published in this article were obtained from the Electoral Commission’s (IEC) official results dashboard on November 5, 2026. Should any figures or seat allocations change, the article will be updated accordingly.
