DA takes early lead in Gauteng towns the ANC held
As counting in the local government elections continues, the DA leads in Lesedi, Mogale City and West Rand, and in Gauteng's metros. The party has also declared an early win in the City of Cape Town.
At 1.22pm the DA led in Mogale City with 43%, in Lesedi with 32% and in West Rand with 30.9%. Before 2pm it had 39% in Johannesburg, 30% in Tshwane and 37% in Ekurhuleni. Across the Gauteng metros the DA had 37.2%, with more than 420,000 votes, against 19.81% for the ANC, with about 220,000 votes.
In the national count at 1.22pm the ANC led with 32.15% and the DA had 27.83%. The MK Party had 6.5%.
DA leader and Cape Town mayoral candidate Geordin Hill-Lewis said the party would win about 58% of the vote in the City of Cape Town.
DA Gauteng federal chairperson Solly Msimanga said the party would assess the results and then enter coalition talks based on principles. He said the DA would publicly state its non-negotiables so voters could hold it to account. If no deal comes, he said, it will be because other parties wanted something different from the DA.
Key facts
- Who
- Solly Msimanga (DA federal chairperson in Gauteng); Geordin Hill-Lewis (DA party leader and mayoral candidate for the City of Cape Town); Democratic Alliance (political party leading in Gauteng and Western Cape vote counts); African National Congress (party losing ground in Gauteng strongholds, leading the national vote count)
- What
- As vote counting continues in the local government elections, the DA is leading in several Gauteng municipalities that the ANC had held for more than two decades, and the DA has declared an early victory in the City of Cape Town. DA Gauteng federal chairperson Solly Msimanga said the party would enter coalition talks based on principles and would first assess the results.
- When
- 5 November 2026
- Where
- Gauteng, Lesedi, Mogale City
- Status
- Reported