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DA declares early victory in Cape Town elections

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Ongoing: Elections Hot

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis projected that the Democratic Alliance (DA) will win about 58% of the vote in Cape Town. He spoke after the Wednesday local government elections, while counting was still under way and the result was not final.

Hill-Lewis spoke to supporters outside the Western Cape results operation centre. Reports said only about a quarter of the metro's voting stations had been counted. The DA's preliminary share then stood at 52.7%. The Electoral Commission of South Africa had not confirmed the final outcome.

Later provisional results put the DA at about 61.3% and the ANC at 11.2%. Reports differ on the count at the time of his speech, with one saying less than 30% of votes were officially tallied.

Hill-Lewis said growing support in the townships drove the result, and he thanked voters there. He said the DA recorded its best-ever performance in those areas. He also said the city cut sewage spills by a third over five years.

Hill-Lewis said Cape Town could become the only major metro with an outright majority government. Reports said the result would extend the DA's control of the city, which began in 2006.

Key facts

Who
Geordin Hill-Lewis (DA party leader and mayor of Cape Town); Democratic Alliance (party declaring early victory in Cape Town); ANC (trailing party in Cape Town provisional results); Zille (commentator featured in related video, quoted saying 'Things are looking good…)
What
The DA, led by Geordin Hill-Lewis, declared an early victory in the City of Cape Town local government elections, with Hill-Lewis projecting around 58% of the vote. Latest provisional results put the DA at approximately 61.3% and the ANC at 11.2%.
When
5 November 2026
Where
City of Cape Town, Century City, Western Cape
Status
Reported

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