- The IEC published the official list of elected councillors in the Government Gazette on Friday, triggering a 14-day deadline for municipalities to hold first council meetings
- Four ward contests across four provinces ended in a draw and had to be settled through an unusual legal mechanism
- Five by-elections are set to follow the 2026 local government elections, with one Northern Cape municipality still awaiting a revote
Source: Getty Images
SOUTH AFRICA — Municipalities across the country now have a two-week timeframe to hold their first council sittings after the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) officially gazetted the 2026 Local Government Election outcomes.
Issued on 13 November 2026, this publication in the Government Gazette concludes the administrative stages of the polls. However, a single Northern Cape municipality was left off the final register because authorities ordered a rerun for that district, which is set to happen next week.
Upcoming by-elections in 5 wards
According to Eyewitness News, voters in five separate wards nationwide will return to the polls for by-elections. According to the commission, these fresh contests were triggered either because a winning candidate passed away or because a political party reassigned its elected representative.
Tied contests settled by lot
In an uncommon turn of events, four ward races finished with candidates receiving an identical number of votes. Officials settled these stalemates using a draw—a tie-breaking procedure authorised by Parliament under electoral law.
IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya announced the outcomes for the four deadlocked districts. The African National Congress (ANC) claimed victory in Mnquma Municipality’s ward 7 in the Eastern Cape, as well as Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality’s ward 5 in Limpopo. Meanwhile, the African Communist Movement won ward 14 in the Free State’s Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality, and the South African Communist Party won ward 17 in Mpumalanga’s Steve Tshwete Municipality.
While noting that some citizens feel uncomfortable with using a draw to decide winners, Moepya stood by the statutory rule. He explained that tied votes happen in elections and that lawmakers established decision by lot specifically to resolve such deadlocks, noting the IEC knows of no better system. He invited anyone with alternative proposals to present them to Parliament or the commission.
IEC announces date for Northern Cape revote
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the fresh vote scheduled for Ward Three in the Siyancuma Local Municipality after ballot papers were destroyed before counting was completed. Residents are due to return to the polls on 18 November 2026.
A total of 10 people have appeared in court over alleged damage to election materials and obstruction of IEC officials. The commission said it could not fairly produce a result without accounting for the destroyed ballots.
Source: Briefly News