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DA wins 53 seats but no majority in Nelson Mandela Bay

Published

Ongoing: Elections Hot

Empty municipal council chamber with rows of wooden benches facing a bare wall.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) holds the most seats on the new 120-seat Nelson Mandela Bay council, but it needs partners to govern. The African National Congress (ANC) follows with 32 seats and 25% support.

Eighteen political parties will sit in the new council. The Economic Freedom Fighters hold 7 seats. The South African Communist Party and the Patriotic Alliance hold 4 seats each.

The Mayibuye Civic Movement, ActionSA and the uMkhonto weSizwe Party hold 2 seats each. Eight other parties hold one seat each.

Key facts

Who
Democratic Alliance (party with the largest number of seats (53) on the Nelson Mandela Bay council); African National Congress (party with 25% support and 32 seats on the council); Economic Freedom Fighters (party with 7 seats); South African Communist Party (party with 4 seats)
What
The article reports the seat distribution for the new Nelson Mandela Bay council after the election: the DA holds 53 seats, the ANC 32 seats (25% support), the EFF 7, the SACP and Patriotic Alliance 4 each, and Mayibuye Civic Movement, ActionSA and MK Party 2 each, with 8 other parties holding one seat each.
When
7 November 2026
Where
Nelson Mandela Bay
Status
Reported

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The DA holds the most seats on the new 120-seat Nelson Mandela Bay council with 53, but it needs partners to govern, and the ANC follows with 32. Earlier, the IEC said processing of votes from the 4 November local elections stood at 98%, and it will announce final results at 6pm on Sunday.

IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said objections could change seat numbers in the provisional results, after 197 objections by 3pm on Saturday, of which 54 were dismissed and two upheld. The ANC's national share fell to just over 30% from 45.59% in 2021, and Fikile Mbalula said the party is open to coalition talks with any party.

Projections with 99% of votes counted showed 128 hung councils, so Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa will meet provincial Cogta MECs to finalise coalition guidelines.

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