DA LEADS IN FIVE METROS, BUT ANC, MK PARTY, ACTIONSA, EFF AND PA COULD STAND IN THE WAY OF ITS BID TO GOVERN AS COALITION BATTLES INTENSIFY
The 2026 Local Government Election results have placed the Democratic Alliance (DA) in a leading position in five of South Africa’s eight metropolitan municipalities. However, finishing first does not automatically mean the party will govern those cities.
The DA emerged as the leading party in:
* Johannesburg
* Tshwane
* Ekurhuleni
* Nelson Mandela Bay
* Cape Town
Cape Town is the only metro where the DA secured an outright majority. In the other four metros, it will need support from other political parties to form an administration.
This is where coalition negotiations could become complicated.
The ANC, MK Party, ActionSA, EFF and Patriotic Alliance (PA) are among the political players whose decisions and possible partnerships could influence the formation of municipal governments.
In Johannesburg, for example, the DA finished first with approximately 34.8%, followed by the ANC and ActionSA. No party secured enough support to govern alone.
The big question is whether these parties will find common ground to form alternative coalitions or whether the DA will manage to secure enough partners to govern.
The PA could also become an important player in coalition discussions in municipalities where its support can help determine who forms an administration.
South Africa is entering another significant chapter in coalition politics, where negotiations between parties could determine who controls some of the country’s biggest cities.
The DA may have led in five metros, but will it secure enough coalition partners to govern them?