All the news about SA's 2021 local government elections

The latest facts, figures, interviews, views and analysis

01 November 2021 - 06:30
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LATEST ELECTION NEWS

LISTEN | The psychology behind loyalist voting

Dr Mbali Dhlomo-Sibiya, a senior social psychology lecturer at Unisa, said loyalty to a political group can be ...

Bulelani Nonyukela
Audio producer

WATCH | 'I just wanted to save my country from the ANC,' says Herman ...

ActionSA held a media briefing on Tuesday to explain the party’s approach to coalition government.

By TIMESLIVE

It was bound to happen: Ramaphosa on ANC electoral misfortunes

Corruption, factionalism and internal squabbles were a turn-off for voters, Ramaphosa said at a 'thank you' rally on ...

Mawande AmaShabalala
Political journalist

Election rerun? Bring it on! — Floyd Shivambu fires warning shot at the ANC

"A rerun of elections will wipe out the dying ANC to zero - he must bring it on! We’re more than ready!" said Shivambu.

Kyle Zeeman
Digital Editor

Mashaba not eyeing Joburg mayorship as talks with opposition parties reach ...

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has poured cold water on speculation that he is demanding mayorship of Johannesburg as a ...

Who says we want to work with you, Ramaphosa asks parties who 'boasted' ...

Despite the declining electoral support, Ramaphosa maintained that the ANC "is not about to collapse".

RECORDED | ActionSA briefs media on its coalition plans

ActionSA president Herman Mashaba and other party officials are briefing the media in Johannesburg on Tuesday on the ...

By TIMESLIVE

What you said: Here are the EFF coalition demands you agree with

Here are the conditions you gave the thumbs up.

Kyle Zeeman
Digital Editor

ANC not desperate to govern at any cost, says Jeff Radebe as coalition ...

Parties including ActionSA, the DA and the IFP have vowed not to work with the ANC in any circumstances.

ELECTIONS WRAP | ANC moves crucial post-elections meeting to Sunday

The ruling party’s national electoral support in the municipal elections held on Monday came in at 46.05%, while it ...

By TimesLIVE

‘It’s not the DA’s job to save the ANC’: Steenhuisen lays out plans for ...

DA leader John Steenhuisen has assured its supporters the party will not form “unstable coalitions” with the ANC, EFF ...

DA woos ActionSA, ACDP and Freedom Front Plus as coalition partners but is ...

The DA says it has reached out to several smaller political parties – including ActionSA, the ACDP and Freedom Front ...

IFP in KZN will work with anyone but the ANC

However, the party will work with the ANC outside the province as its relationship with the party’s national leadership ...

'The people have spoken,' says KZN ANC as support drops to 42%

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has provided insight into future plans for the province where it lost majority status as its ...

Orrin Singh
Reporter

LISTEN | ‘I will run for president in this country’ — Maimane says he will ...

Founder of One SA Movement Mmusi Maimane spoke to Eusebius McKaiser about how his exit from the DA as the party's ...

Eusebius McKaiser
Contributor and analyst

‘Keep my name out of it’: Maimane tells Steenhuisen to stop blaming him ...

"Keep my name out of it. You made your bed, these results are on you," said Maimane.

Phumzile Van Damme is enjoying watching election results as an ordinary ...

Former DA MP Phumzile Van Damme has reflected on her exit from politics, saying she is enjoying watching the results of ...

LOL! Chester Missing’s reaction to IEC head being labelled a ‘puppet’

'The term puppet is saved and reserved for myself, Carl Niehaus, John Steenhuisen and anyone associated with the ...

From reactions to results and complaints against the IEC — 5 must-read ...

Basic service provision, job creation and tackling load-shedding were some of the promises made by politicians in the ...

DA keeps Cape Town but with a reduced majority of 58%

It's official: The DA will govern Cape Town for another five years, but with a reduced majority.

Andisiwe Makinana
Political correspondent

ELECTIONS WRAP | IEC declares SA's elections 'free and fair', despite ...

A whopping 66 municipalities will have coalition governments at the helm after South Africans did not give any party ...

By TimesLIVE

IEC numbers show ANC battling to win outright majority in major metros

The ANC may be only guaranteed an outright majority in two metros - Buffalo City in the Eastern Cape and Mangaung in ...

Aphiwe Deklerk
Political reporter

FF+ candidate Godfrey Skosana may have lost his ward but 'must still ...

The man from the agricultural village of Sephaku in Limpopo who shocked many when he began campaigning to be a ...

‘It was a difficult election’: ANC admits challenges as it looks into ...

ANC head of elections Fikile Mbalula has conceded the party does not appear set for a clean sweep in all ...

EFF achieved mission to push ANC under 50%: Julius Malema

The EFF is not fazed by not winning municipalities outright: as long as the ANC stands at less than 50% in some ...

Mawande AmaShabalala
Political journalist

LISTEN | ‘Anyone but the ANC’: ActionSA on coalitions talks

The City of Johannesburg is likely to have a government of coalitions that will exclude the ANC if ActionSA has its way.

Only one can be a winner: Family foursome contest same ward in local ...

Irrespective of who wins the local government elections in Matatiele’s ward 10, an Eastern Cape family will emerge ...

By Vuyolwethu Sangotsha

LISTEN | IEC says it’s not to blame for poor voter turnout, set to release ...

The IEC says it is not responsible for the poor voter turnout in the 2021 local government elections, saying it ...

'We will not tolerate corruption': IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa on ...

Ready to govern is slowly becoming ready to co-govern in many municipalities across KwaZulu-Natal as political parties ...

RECORDED | Ramaphosa addresses ANC elections 'thank you' event

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa is addressing the organisation's 2021 local government elections "thank you" event.

By TimesLIVE

OPINIONS & ANALYSIS

TONY LEON | Fasten your seatbelts, SA. It’s going to be a bumpy post-ANC ...

The ANC may have been punished, but it’s still powerful as the rising parties jostle for position in a new political ...

Tony Leon
Columnist

TOM EATON | Think SA’s in the dark now? Just wait till the ANC names its ...

While Zuma feigns outraged ignorance, the reasons for SA’s gloomy situation are as clear as day

Tom Eaton
Columnist

If things don’t change, SA faces a leaderless revolution far worse than ...

Low voter turnout is a rejection of major parties and unless they provide solutions to our issues, we’re in big trouble

Sibongakonke Shoba
Politics editor: Sunday Times

PODCAST | Rises and falls in a changed political landscape

Eusebius McKaiser chats to Peter Bruce about how SA parties have entered a new era

Eusebius McKaiser
Contributor and analyst

JUSTICE MALALA | Will the ANC mend its ways? Does it matter? SA is moving ...

Instead of confronting reality after its elections disaster, the party will blame-game its way to self-destruction

MAKHUDU SEFARA | The former faithful have spoken. The ANC must listen ...

Ramaphosa likes to take his time to fix things. Unfortunately the ANC doesn’t have that luxury any more

Makhudu Sefara
Editor: TimesLIVE

SA’s liberation war veterans are angry. Here’s why

Empty promises and a department that’s supposed to look after military veterans, but doesn’t, are unacceptable

By Lindy Heinecken

TOM EATON | Now starts the shovelling at the coalition face of SA politics

The recent elections produced a mixed bag of bloody noses for the big guns and personal bests for the smaller parties

Tom Eaton
Columnist

RECORDED | IEC announces the 2021 local government election results

The Electoral Commission’s (IEC) announcement of the final results of the 2021 municipal elections is scheduled for ...

By TimesLIVE

ANC bigwigs to consider coalition options

The options will be tabled at the party's extended national working committee meeting on Friday.

EFF achieved mission to push ANC under 50%: Julius Malema

The EFF is not fazed by not winning municipalities outright: as long as the ANC stands at less than 50% in some ...

Mawande AmaShabalala
Political journalist

EXPLAINER | Who won what in KZN as dust settles on local government vote

The ANC has won outright one metro and three district municipalities in KZN, in what is a significant blow to the party.

‘We are a new party, not a small party’, says optimistic Herman Mashaba as ...

ActionSA contested the local government elections in targeted metros and municipalities, including Johannesburg, ...

LISTEN | ‘I will run for president in this country’ — Maimane says he will ...

Founder of One SA Movement Mmusi Maimane spoke to Eusebius McKaiser about how his exit from the DA as the party's ...

Eusebius McKaiser
Contributor and analyst

WATCH | Ramaphosa's 'boring' campaign didn't inspire voters, says Malema ...

"The ANC has gone below 50%. Someone was supposed to play Tsonga music here so I can dance for you. I'm the happiest ...

By TimesLIVE Video

Decade of decline: a look back to 2011 shows how far the ANC has fallen

The party appears to be collapsing, with a glance at previous local government elections revealing the extent thereof

Matthew Savides
Night news editor

LISTEN | 'We are not going to approach anyone' — EFF on coalitions

The EFF leader said that the party would not be approaching any political parties in the hopes of forming coalitions

By Paige Muller

DA keeps Cape Town but with a reduced majority of 58%

It's official: The DA will govern Cape Town for another five years, but with a reduced majority.

Andisiwe Makinana
Political correspondent

LISTEN | 'I don’t want to go into unstable coalitions': John Steenhuisen ...

As political parties begin to consolidate their grip on various municipalities, one thing that DA leader John ...

Amanda Khoza
Presidency reporter

IEC's free advice: 'Don't try to organise an election of this size in 42 ...

“There are many lessons that we can immediately identify, the most obvious being never attempt to plan an election of ...

Mawande AmaShabalala
Political journalist

'We are not desperate,' says ANC as it prepares to enter coalition talks

The ANC has admitted that it will have no choice but to form governments of coalitions in several municipalities across ...

ELECTIONS WRAP | IEC declares SA's elections 'free and fair', despite ...

A whopping 66 municipalities will have coalition governments at the helm after South Africans did not give any party ...

By TimesLIVE

At least 96% of votes captured as IEC closes in on final results

The commission’s general manager on electoral matters, Granville Abrahams, said 96.9% of results were already in the ...

LISTEN | ‘Anyone but the ANC’: ActionSA on coalitions talks

The City of Johannesburg is likely to have a government of coalitions that will exclude the ANC if ActionSA has its way.

‘We hope this is not part of stop the count panic’: Floyd Shivambu ...

EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu slammed the announcement by Eskom about its power system being under severe ...

A taste of things to come? Analysts say election results 'the beginning of ...

'I strongly believe that this is the beginning of the end of the ANC,' says political analyst Ralph Mathekga.

By Amanda Khoza and Mawande amaShabalala

Only one can be a winner: Family foursome contest same ward in local ...

Irrespective of who wins the local government elections in Matatiele’s ward 10, an Eastern Cape family will emerge ...

By Vuyolwethu Sangotsha

ANC emerging as the biggest loser in KZN — but it is still early days

If the ANC ever felt invincible, the people of KwaZulu-Natal are showing the party that it is not too powerful to be ...

‘We regret that — it ought not to happen’: IEC on ballot paper shortages

The IEC has come under fire as a result of ballot paper shortages that prevented scores of people from casting votes in ...

CSIR predicts losses for the ANC in most major metros

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research is predicting a poor election performance by the ANC in most major ...

Aphiwe Deklerk
Political reporter

ANC introduces performance contracts for incoming councillors

TimesLIVE can reveal the ANC top leadership will discuss the adoption of “contracts of deployment for ANC local ...

Andisiwe Makinana
Political correspondent

UPDATE | Elections 2021: Significant swings overnight as the battle for ...

As of Thursday morning, five of the country's eight metros will not have an outright winner, paving the way for vital ...

Matthew Savides
Night news editor

One-stop shop for crosses and jabs: South Africans vote then vax

A partnership between the IEC and the health department creates a captive audience for prospective vaxxers on election ...

Tanya Farber
Senior science reporter

I kept my side of the bargain, says gran promised house by Ramaphosa

Seventy-year-old Katriena Sambaba pledged her vote to the ANC on election day, and now she waits

Praying for a saviour in remote Matebeleng village

Community members of  Matebeleng - a remote village next to the N1 highway en-route to Polokwane say it is only God who ...

'They are all full of nonsense': Disillusionment and dissatisfaction in ...

Voting is slow in Nelmapius, and voters are generally not happy with their political leaders.

Graeme Hosken
Senior reporter

WATCH | IEC admits low turnout, but says it's too early to tell just how ...

As many South Africans fret over the seemingly dismal 2021 local government election turnout, the IEC said on Monday ...

Amanda Khoza
Presidency reporter

WRAP | From ‘criminal conduct’ to ballot paper shortages — here’s how the ...

More than 8-million citizens made their way to the polls to cast their votes in the municipal elections at over 23,000 ...

IN PICTURES | SA’s 2021 local government elections

Voting started slowly on Monday, but many eventually made their marks, from chilly Cape Town to blistering Pretoria

By Sunday Times DAILY

Poll-axed: South Africans cast their vote on politics by staying at home

By 6pm on Monday 6.9-million people had voted, with observers saying preliminary figures seemed low

By ANDISIWE MAKINANA, GRAEME HOSKEN, ZIMASA MATIWANE and AMANDA KHOZA

Mother Nature spoils her ballot in Cape Town south, but keeps baboons at ...

Bad weather in the deep south caused problems, but voters were in ‘good spirits’ and the baboons stayed at home

Bobby Jordan
Senior reporter

LISTEN | IEC apologises to Change Party for error in PR ballot papers

The IEC has apologised to the Change Party for an error on the proportional representation (PR) ballot papers in ...

Amanda Khoza
Presidency reporter

LISTEN | Helen Zille opens assault case after being 'frogmarched' out of ...

DA federal council chair Helen Zille was allegedly dragged out of the Fernwood Park Primary School voting station in ...

By Iavan Pijoos and Herald Correspondent

WATCH | Politicians? They’re hapless and hopeless, homeless Capetonians ...

Most of Cape Town's homeless population - estimated at between 4,000 and 14,000 people - say they will not vote.

Aron Hyman
Reporter

Mabuza votes in Mpumalanga ward for ANC candidate on two murder charges

Mabuza on Monday voted for an ANC councillor candidate who is out on bail and facing murder charges.

IN PICS | South Africans make their mark in LGE 2021

South Africans were out early to make their choices in the 2021 local government elections on Monday.

By TImesLIVE

LISTEN | Glitches, hiccups and arrests — but voting 'progressing well', ...

Protests, inclement weather, arrests and electricity disruptions all marred the start of the voting day on Monday, the ...

Parties promise to fix infrastructure as water bubbles away under their ...

The parties contesting Ward 117 in Parktown North and Parkhurst say they weren't aware of a week-long water leak just a ...

Paul Ash
Senior reporter

KwaBhaca resident, 119, makes her mark and wants you to do the same

KwaBhaca resident, 119-year-old Nomamelika Emily Philiso, is believed to be one of the oldest people to vote in the ...

By Lulamile Feni

Voting day a mixed bag of woe, pride and frustration in Pretoria

In Ward 22, while some walked out having cast their votes, Jacob Mochadibang walked out of the voting station in ...

By SHONISANI TSHIKALANGE and GRAEME HOSKEN

Jacob Zuma says his vote went to the ANC

Former president Jacob Zuma on Monday called on ANC members to vote for the party.

eThekwini presiding officer arrested in alleged vote rigging incident

The IEC has confirmed that a presiding officer in the eThekwini Metro was arrested after allegedly stuffing marked ...

By TIMESLIVE

Thembisa turnout 'worst ever'

Deep distrust, apathy, wariness and weariness - the mood in Thembisa, Ekhuruleni, on election day is palpable.

Gill Gifford
Senior journalist

Classroom torched at KZN voting station over chief dispute

Police have been deployed to closely monitor the situation at the Ntobeko voting station in ward 2 of the Mkhambathini ...

Orrin Singh
Reporter

WATCH | Alexandra resident arrives at 3am to be first voter in ward as ...

Alexandra residents took to the area’s polling stations early on November 1 to cast their votes in the municipal ...

Emile Bosch
Multimedia journalist

Hot contestation between ANC and EFF in Seshego

Yellow T-shirts filled one side of the road while red T-shirts filled the other at Seshego, as the ANC and EFF battled ...

eThekwini could do with a good dose of DA government to clean up after the ...

DA federal leader John Steenhuisen says the eThekwini municipality could do with a 'good dose of DA government to ...

By Mfundo Mkhize

Rain delays opening of 19 voting stations in Western Cape

Inclement weather in Cape Town delayed the opening of more than a dozen voting stations.

By ANDISIWE MAKINANA

WATCH | President Cyril Ramaphosa casts his vote in Soweto

President Cyril Ramaphosa has cast his vote at Hitekani Primary School, in Chiawelo, Soweto.

Amanda Khoza
Presidency reporter

Steady stream of early-morning voters in Johannesburg suburb of Bryanston

Voting at Bryandale Primary School in Bryanston, northern Johannesburg, was brisk on Monday morning.

Alex Patrick
Senior reporter

Ace Magashule’s absence is no factor in Mangaung voter attitude as many ...

“I have voted all my life, but not now. I am tired of all the stealing of public money while we suffer.”

Mawande AmaShabalala
Political journalist

‘I don’t know who I must choose’: voting in major areas in Ekurhuleni off ...

Voting stations in Katlehong, Thokoza and Vosloorus in Ekurhuleni experienced a slow start on Monday morning with fewer ...

Siviwe Feketha
Political reporter

WATCH | ‘I will die ANC, no matter the difficulties’: David Mabuza

“I voted the ANC. I will die in the ANC”, deputy president David Mabuza said after casting his vote in Barberton, ...

KZN communities dig trenches, lock gates and vandalise a station to stop ...

Road closures, locked gates, trenches and a voting station break-in were some of the incidents that hampered the ...

By TimesLIVE

WATCH: Scuffle at Mamelodi voting station as people demand to be added to ...

Thabo Lekalala, who is casting his vote at Mamelodi East Ward 93, said he was worried by the violence outside the ...

Graeme Hosken
Senior reporter

In Soweto, it’s mostly ANC all the way, but some want action in SA

Many residents say the ruling party has provided a better life. Others are pinning their hopes on the new kid

Mawande AmaShabalala
Political journalist

De Lille in good spirits as she queues in the rain to cast her vote

GOOD leader Patricia de Lille stood in pouring rain for about 20 minutes to cast her vote at Pinelands Primary School ...

Andisiwe Makinana
Political correspondent

Camps Bay voters say economy is in toilet while Philippi residents would ...

The municipal elections have revealed how dissimilar the needs of Capetonians are.

Elections for what, we prefer a dip in the sea, say Durban beachgoers

The beach, rather than the polls, lured some Durban residents as local government elections got under way on Monday.

Suthentira Govender
Senior reporter

Key factors to determine voting trends in Gauteng

The water crisis in Tshwane and electricity issues in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni will become determining factors today ...

Residents angry at a lack of water shut down polling station near Daveyton

The community of Emaphupheni, near Daveyton on the East Rand, have shut down a voting station as they protest about a ...

Coalition governments must be loose and unpredictable, says EFF's Floyd ...

The red berets say they are not fussy about who they team up with in coalition governments.

Mawande AmaShabalala
Political journalist

Ramaphosa to visit IEC results centre on Thursday 'in his capacity as ...

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to visit the national results operation centre on Thursday in his capacity as the ...

Amanda Khoza
Presidency reporter

Cape Town mayor-elect Hill-Lewis thanks voters, vows to earn their faith

Cape Town mayor-elect Geordin Hill-Lewis has thanked Capetonians for giving the DA another mandate to govern the city.

Andisiwe Makinana
Political correspondent

'We will not tolerate corruption': IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa on ...

Ready to govern is slowly becoming ready to co-govern in many municipalities across KwaZulu-Natal as political parties ...

ANC could lose full control of all Gauteng's nine municipalities

The ANC in Gauteng finds itself in even deeper trouble as IEC results show it has so far failed to secure an outright ...

Aphiwe Deklerk
Political reporter

Losing candidate disrupts WC results announcement, brings proceedings to ...

“It's not time to sweep things under the carpet," Democratic Independent leader Anwar Adams shouted as he disrupted ...

Andisiwe Makinana
Political correspondent

Work with us or pack your bags: Victorious DA warns uMngeni officials

Just hours after its historic victory in KwaZulu-Natal's uMngeni municipality, the DA has issued a warning to the ...

By Mfundo Mkhize

ELECTIONS WRAP | ANC moves crucial post-elections meeting to Sunday

The ruling party’s national electoral support in the municipal elections held on Monday came in at 46.05%, while it ...

By TimesLIVE

LISTEN | 'We all want the same thing': Ramaphosa urges parties to work ...

"They want to live in a better South Africa with equal opportunity, where their rights are realised, and where they are ...

Amanda Khoza
Presidency reporter

LISTEN | Elections were 'free and fair', and nearly a third of SA's ...

The electoral authority announced that the ANC had won the majority of the country's councils, but that 66 were "hung" ...

Western Cape ANC blames poor voter turnout for its decline in Cape Town

The party's provincial interim working committee acknowledged defeat in the city but celebrated the number of wards it ...

Andisiwe Makinana
Political correspondent

FF+ candidate Godfrey Skosana may have lost his ward but 'must still ...

The man from the agricultural village of Sephaku in Limpopo who shocked many when he began campaigning to be a ...

ANC wins Soweto wards where protesters blocked roads to party election ...

Despite trying to block the party from holding its final election rally last week, residents of Senaoane and Dlamini in ...

Aphiwe Deklerk
Political reporter

IEC ready to declare 2021 municipal election results on Thursday as 99% ...

The Electoral Commission (IEC) says the counting and capturing of votes is at an advanced stage as 99% of the results ...

‘Keep my name out of it’: Maimane tells Steenhuisen to stop blaming him ...

"Keep my name out of it. You made your bed, these results are on you," said Maimane.

'If we do not arrest the decline we will be in trouble': KZN ANC on ...

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal believes that if it does not get its act together, the party will lose outright governance in ...

INTERACTIVE MAPS, DATA & MORE: Use our elections website to find your voting station, browse past election results for your area in detail, and track real-time results. Can't see the map? Click here.


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