By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
13 November 2026 – The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said the announcement of the results on 8 November 2026, set in motion key remaining activities required to conclude the 2026 Local Government Elections cycle. The IEC said these activities will culminate in the commission gazetting the names of councillors that have been declared elected.
The IEC spokesperson, Kate Bapela said the publication of the list of councillors will in turn enable planning for the inaugural sittings of the municipal councils. Bapela said in terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, Municipal Managers are required to convene the first meeting of their respective councils within 14 days after the councillors have been declared elected.
“However, before the commission can gazette the names of representatives declared elected, the significant steps such as notices regarding insufficient lists (Item 17 of schedule 1 and Item 10 of Schedule 2 to the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act.) must be included.
“The commission is obliged to inform parties that have nominated fewer candidates than the seats that they have won of the shortfall. On Monday 9 November 2026, the commission gave written notice to parties that had won more seats than nominated PR candidates. Parties had until 11 November at 17h00 to supplement their lists,” she said.
Bapela further said the opportunity was for parties to provide candidates to make up the shortfall and it was not an opportunity for parties to change their lists or replace candidates. She added that parties may only change their lists or replace nominated candidates a day after the date of the first sitting of the council meeting.
“A party that submitted fewer names than seats won and failed to supplement its list, risks forfeiting seats if the shortfall renders the quorum impossible for the municipal council. Notifications pertaining to multiple seats (Item 17A of schedule 1 and Item 10A of Schedule 2 to the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act)
“Additionally, the commission has a duty to notify political parties about candidates on their lists that stand to be assigned to more than one seat. In this regard a party must exercise an election on the seat to which the candidate must be designated,” said Bapela.
She said the provision also applies to an independent candidate who stands to be assigned to more than one ward seat. Bapela said if a party or independent candidate fails to exercise an election, the name of the candidate must be deleted from the list.
“If the deleted name is that of a candidate who stood to be designated to a ward seat, the deletion will result in a by- election. Once the above processes have been concluded, the commission will publish in the government gazette the final names of duly elected councillors.
“An election must result in certainty of outcomes. In this regard item 8 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act provides that in the event of two or more ward candidates receiving an equal number of votes, the result will be determined by lot,” she said.
Bapela said in these elections, four ward contests were determined by lots. She said Ward 7 in Mnquma Municipality in Eastern Cape, Ward 14 in Maluti A Phofung Municipality in Free State, Ward 5 Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality in Limpopo, and Ward 17 in Steve Tshwete Municipality in Mpumalanga.
“There are 10 526 seats available in the 2026 Local Government Elections. These comprise on the one hand, 8 825 local council seats (4 485 ward seats and 4 340 PR seats). On the other hand, there are 1 701 district council seats consisting of 707 directly elected, and 994 indirectly elected councillors.
“The other key pending process for concluding the 2026 Local Government Elections is the constitution of district councils. Of the 1 701 district council seats, 707 (40%) have already been filled through the district proportional representation ballot. The remaining 994 (60%) will be filled through election of local council representatives to district councils. Meaning, the councillors from the local council will elect among themselves representatives to the district councils,” said Bapela.
She said the Electoral Commission is responsible for managing the election of local council representatives to the district council. Bapela said the Electoral Commission urges elected representatives, and political parties to closely follow the unfolding final processes and adhere to the prescribed deadlines to ensure the timely constitution of the new municipal councils.
