Political parties in eThekwini have started coalition talks after no party won a majority in the metro council in the 2026 local government elections. Parties have 14 days to reach deals, IOL reported.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) became the biggest party in eThekwini. It won 86 of the 223 seats in the council.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) came second with 57 seats. The African National Congress (ANC) was third with 37 seats. The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) won 15 seats, ActionSA won seven and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) won four.
The ERPM, the Freedom Front Plus and the African Transformation Movement won two seats each. Eleven smaller parties, including the SACP, the ACDP, the Minority Front and the Patriotic Alliance, won one seat each.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) declared the results on Sunday, 8 November. It said 72 councils had a party with an outright majority, while 127 did not. In KwaZulu-Natal, 34 municipalities were hung after the 4 November vote, including eThekwini.
DA Federal Council chairperson Ashor Sarupen said the party would talk to all parties about governing municipalities where no one won a majority. He said the DA wants partners who share its focus on clean government, fighting corruption and the rule of law.
“Our objective is to establish stable, effective governments that put residents first, restore accountability, and deliver the services communities deserve. Coalition discussions will be coordinated nationally,” Sarupen said.
ActionSA leader Zwakele Mncwango said he will lead the party’s talks for eThekwini, Msunduzi, Newcastle, KwaDukuza and uMhlathuze. ActionSA grew from four councillors to seven in eThekwini.
“We may work with one party in one municipality and another party in a different municipality. We have principles in place to adhere to including our stance on immigration,” Mncwango said.
The MKP team includes advocate Dali Mpofu, first deputy president Duduzane Zuma and second deputy president Tony Yengeni. The party has not said which parties it has met. Yengeni said an alliance of progressive black parties is one of its options.
IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa said the party would name a team to lead its talks. National chairperson Blessed Gwala will act as convenor. IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the party’s election manifesto will guide its position.
After the 2021 elections, the ANC governed eThekwini in a coalition with the National Freedom Party (NFP), the EFF and the IFP. The NFP did not win a seat this time. The MKP had held one seat in the metro, which it won in a 2024 by-election.
Mxolisi Kaunda, who was eThekwini mayor from 2019 to 2024, now chairs a parliamentary select committee on cooperative governance. Speaking about councils across the country, he urged parties to form stable coalitions.
“Every effort must be made to ensure that the coalitions that emerge prioritise the interests of communities over narrow political and selfish ambitions,” Kaunda said.
ERPM chairperson Asad Gaffar said his party is willing to work with others across political lines if it helps residents and improves services. He said this should not be seen as giving up the party’s independence or values.
Newly elected councils across South Africa must now hold their first meetings and elect their political leaders.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL. Image: IOL. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.