The final results are in and Middelburg is one of three hung councils in Mpumalanga, including Secunda and Standerton, where the ANC is now looking at coalitions.

Voter turnout was dismal with only 48 311 of 108 499 registered voters, 44.53%, that had their thumbs inked.

The ANC was the biggest loser with zero PR seats, retaining only 21 of Steve Tshwete’s 29 wards.

The DA remained stagnant at 17 seats, seven of which are ward seats, with ten proportional seats added to their tally.

Independent candidate, Thomas Mpye, won Kwazamokuhle’s Ward 2 with an outright majority, rounding off council’s 29 available ward seats.

The EFF, MHRF and FF+ all won seats on the proportional ticket, with the EFF upping its seat count with three additional seats, to nine in total.

New kid on the block, the MHRF, won seven seats in ANC strongholds.

The FF+ who had two seats, scored one extra.

The ANC garnered only 36.85% of the vote, the DA 28.37%, the EFF 14.93%, MHRF 11.9% and the FF+ 5.50%.

The EFF beat out the DA in the run for Nkangala District council seats, with the ANC garnering 56.30% of the vote and 13 seats, the EFF with 18.55% of the vote and four seats, the DA with 14.83% of the vote with three seats, and one seat each for the FF+ and AIPO who received 3.19% and 1.60% of the final tally.

Meet your new ward councillors:

Ward 1 – ANC – Bathobile Shabangu
Ward 2 – Independent candidate – Thomas Mpey (ex-ANC mayor and former ANC council speaker)
Ward 3 – ANC – Jabulile Sithole
Ward 4 – ANC – Mgevu Nyambi
Ward 5 – ANC – Manakedi Mphego
Ward 6 – ANC – Sizwe Zulu
Ward 7 – ANC – Iddy Mahlangu
Ward 8 – ANC – Elias Williams
Ward 9 – ANC – Johannes Skosana
Ward 10 – ANC – Mthokozisi Maseko
Ward 11 – DA – Deon van der Merwe
Ward 12 – DA – Hennie Niemann
Ward 13 – DA – San-Mari Wait
Ward 14 – DA – Jos Pretorius
Ward 15 – DA – Helda de Klerk
Ward 16 – DA – Johann Dyason
Ward 17 – ANC – Marumo Sekgwele
Ward 18 – ANC – Grace Mathibela
Ward 19 – ANC – Mthokozisi Shabangu
Ward 20 – ANC – Letsatsi Nkwana
Ward 21 – ANC – Mhlonishwa Masilela
Ward 22 – ANC – Cacious Mashiloane
Ward 23 – ANC – Linah Zondo
Ward 24 – ANC – Motaganeng Phetla
Ward 25 – ANC – Mxolisi Shongwe
Ward 26 – ANC – Madoda Amigo
Ward 27 – ANC – Vuzumuzi Malinga
Ward 28 – ANC – Nomsa Sibanda
Ward 29 – DA – Anphia Grobler.

Hung councils where no outright majority was achieved, forcing the ANC into coalitions:

1. The Coalition of Tshwane
2. The Coalition of Johannesburg
3. The Coalition of Ekurhuleni
4. The Coalition of Ethekwini
5. The Coalition of Rustenburg
6. The Coalition of Nelson Mandela
7. The Coalition of Kanaland
8. The Coalition of Rand West City
9. The Coalition of Mogale City
10. The Coalition of Emfuleni
11. The Coalition of Merafong City
12. The Coalition of Kai !Garib
13. The Coalition of Hantam
14. The Coalition of Nama Khoi
15. The Coalition of Richterveld
16. The Coalition of Karoo Hoogland
17. The Coalition of Kereeberg
18. The Coalition of Gamagara
19. The Coalition of Siyathemba
20. The Coalition of !Kheis
21. The Coalition of Thembelihle
22. The Coalition of Matzikama
23. The Coalition of Cederberg
24. The Coalition of Saldanha Bay
25. The Coalition of Theewaterskloof
26. The Coalition of Witzenberg
27. The Coalition of Laingsburg
28. The Coalition of Beaufort West
29. The Coalition of Prince Albert
30. The Coalition of Oudtshoorn
31. The Coalition of Maluti a Phofong
32. The Coalition of Lekwa
33. The Coalition of Steve Tshwete
34. The Coalition of uMhlabuyalingana
35. The Coalition of Abaqulusi
36. The Coalition of uPhongolo
37. The Coalition of eDembe
38. The Coalition of Nongoma
39. The Coalition of eMadlangeni
40. The Coalition of uMhlathuze
41. The Coalition of uMdoni
42. The Coalition of Alfred Duma
43. The Coalition of iNkosi Langalibalele
44. The Coalition of uMvoti
45. The Coalition of eNdumeni