Political analysts and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) warn that this year’s municipal elections are likely to produce a significant increase in hung councils — where no single party wins an outright majority — raising concerns about governance, stability and service delivery across the country.
Experts say South Africa’s political landscape is evolving, with long-standing one-party dominance waning and multiparty coalition governance increasingly becoming the norm.
Professor Zweli Ndevu of the Inclusive Society Institute said coalitions are now a defining feature of local government.
“We’ve seen this at local government, provincial, and national levels,” Ndevu said. “This trend reflects a declining trust in any one political party to govern effectively.”
A hung council occurs when no party secures more than 50% of seats, forcing parties to negotiate alliances or minority administrations to govern. Since the first democratic local government elections in 2000, the number of hung councils has steadily increased — from 29 then to over 80 by the 2021 elections — signalling growing political fragmentation.
SALGA’s Chief Officer for Intergovernmental Relations and Municipal Resilience, Lance Joel, noted that coalition politics is no longer exceptional but has become embedded in South Africa’s democratic landscape.
“In every election cycle since 2000 we’ve seen more hung councils,” Joel said, adding that in 2021, more than half of municipalities lacked a clear majority.
Instability in coalition councils has had tangible impacts in many areas, particularly in major metropolitan municipalities such as Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Nelson Mandela Bay.
These councils have experienced frequent turnover of leadership and executive committees, sometimes resulting in delays in adopting budgets, infrastructure plans and critical policies. While critics argue that coalition governments can slow decision-making and complicate service delivery, others point out that not all hung councils perform poorly. In some cases, well‑structured coalitions with clear agreements and cooperative leadership have maintained basic services and administrative continuity.
The movement toward coalitions is driven in part by declining voter support for dominant parties in many urban areas. Data from the 2021 local elections showed the ruling African National Congress (ANC) dipping below 50% in overall vote share for the first time at the local level, while opposition and smaller parties gained ground.
As communities prepare for the 2026 elections — scheduled to take place between 2 November 2026 and 31 January 2027 — analysts predict further fragmentation. This year, about 34 new political parties have registered since the 2024 general elections, potentially increasing the number of kingmaker parties that hold the balance of power in coalition talks.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) Chief Electoral Officer, Sy Mamabolo, confirmed the election timetable, noting the constitutional requirement that municipal councils elected in November 2021 must hold new elections within 90 days of their five‑year term ending in November 2026.
“This means the current councils will conclude their term on 2 November 2026,” Mamabolo said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has also urged political parties — particularly the ANC — to address persistent local government challenges ahead of the polls, including uneven service delivery, infrastructure backlogs and rising public dissatisfaction.
Coalition politics presents both challenges and opportunities for South Africa’s local governance. On one hand, more negotiated governance could foster broader representation and accountability. On the other, without strong coalition agreements and stability mechanisms, communities risk slower service delivery and political uncertainty.
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