Polokwane voters end ANC majority

POLOKWANE – The ANC’s poor performance in Seshego in the Local Government Elections has contributed to the party losing its outright majority in the Polokwane Municipality, leaving the 90-seat council hung and political parties facing coalition negotiations ahead of its first sitting.

The party emerged as the largest in the municipality with 37 seats, nine short of the 46 needed for a majority.

The results, declared by IEC provincial electoral officer Nkaro Mateta at The Ranch Resort, leave the ANC needing support from other parties to govern.

One of the biggest setbacks for the ANC was its proportional representation (PR) performance. The party secured only two PR seats, compared with the 20 it held previously. This means several candidates who were not included on the party’s ward councillor list submitted to the IEC are unlikely to enter council through the PR allocation.

In 2021, the ANC won 56 seats with 60.08% of the vote. This time, its support dropped to 41.24%, translating into 35 ward seats and just two PR seats.

The remaining council seats are distributed among the EFF (17), DA (11), ActionSA (10), SACP (six) and FF Plus (three). The UAT, MK Party, Afrika Mayibuye Movement, Magoshi Swaranang Movement, Born to Win and ACDP each secured one seat.

The election followed growing frustration among residents over persistent water shortages, deteriorating infrastructure, potholes, broken streetlights and youth unemployment. Last Wednesday, residents joined voters across the country in turning out to cast their ballots, with many hoping their votes would bring tangible improvements to service delivery.

EFF leader Julius Malema and Born to Win leader Boy Mamabolo also cast their votes in the township.

The ANC acknowledged unemployment, water shortages, electricity disruptions and deteriorating roads as major concerns, but maintained that it remained rooted in communities and committed to improving governance.

Residents of Juju Valley and Ext 76 have said that they welcomed the end of single-party dominance, expressing the hope that a hung council would force political leaders to prioritise basic services, particularly access to running water.

Mamabolo, a former ANC MP who broke away from the party and established Born to Win in May 2026, also made an impact. His party campaigned in Seshego and Mankweng on issues including potholes, streetlights, water shortages and gender-based violence. It secured 807 PR votes, earning one council seat.

ActionSA also emerged as a significant player, winning 10 seats, all through the PR ballot, despite failing to secure a ward. The SACP, contesting independently for the first time, obtained six seats.

Provincially, Mateta reported a voter turnout of 48.31%, up from 44.2% in 2021. Approximately 1.4m of just over three million registered voters participated.

The ANC retained outright control in 12 municipalities and emerged as the leading party in 22, while 10 municipalities, including Polokwane, have hung councils. Across Limpopo, the ANC received 55.17% of the vote and 685 seats, followed by the EFF with 11.36% and 139 seats, the DA with 8.27% and 104 seats, the SACP with 4.22% and 59 seats, and ActionSA with 4.65% and 55 seats.

With no formal coalition agreement announced in Polokwane, attention is also turning to the ANC’s mayoral candidate. Three names have featured in discussions: incumbent mayor John Mpe, party veteran Soviet Lekganyane, who does not appear on the councillor list submitted to the IEC; and incumbent speaker Welhemina Modiba.

The party is also yet to announce its coalition strategy, leaving it under pressure to identify potential partners within the prescribed timeframe.

ANC Peter Mokaba Regional spokesperson Adolph Rapetswa said the region was disappointed by the loss of outright majorities in both Polokwane and Lepelle-Nkumpi. He said the region was awaiting a framework from Luthuli House to guide the next steps.

The newly elected council must convene its first sitting to elect a mayor and speaker, with political negotiations expected to shape the municipality’s next administration.

Koketšo Sekhwela 3 minutes read Facebook X LinkedIn Tumblr Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram Share via Email Print Support local journalism Add The Citizen as a preferred source to see more from Review in Google News and Top Stories.