President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed officials at the Independent Electoral Commission’s Results Operations Centre in Midrand, urging political parties to prioritise service delivery over the pursuit of positions as they start negotiations to form municipal governments.

The IEC released official figures showing the African National Congress (ANC) remained the largest party with 30.76 % of the vote and 3,282 council seats, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) secured 24.64 % and 1,722 seats.

Other parties winning notable shares included the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (9.77 %), the Economic Freedom Fighters (6.22 %) and ActionSA (5.67 %). Independent candidates and smaller parties together accounted for 22.94 % of the vote.

Approximately 14.9 million voters cast ballots, giving a turnout of 52 %, an increase of 6.1 percentage points from the 2021 local elections.

All 213 municipal councils were declared, with 10,526 council seats contested; 74 councils were won outright by a single party, while the remaining 138 are hung councils requiring coalition agreements.

The ANC achieved outright majorities in 53 municipalities and led in a further 128, whereas the DA secured outright majorities in 12 councils and led in 32.

In Johannesburg, the DA emerged as the largest party with 91 of the 270 seats, followed by the ANC with 63 seats and ActionSA with 43, leaving no party with the 136 seats needed for an outright majority.

Ramaphosa highlighted that voters expect tangible improvements such as reliable water and electricity, regular waste collection, well‑maintained parks and safer streets, stressing that coalition talks must not become contests over positions or privileges.

He warned that the elections took place amid high living costs, youth unemployment and inadequate municipal services, and that citizens will judge governments by daily life changes rather than promises.