Election count hits 97% and the final stretch gets dramatic

South Africa’s local government election count is in the home stretch, with 97% of votes now tallied on the IEC Results Dashboard. The final stretch is delivering serious drama, from a ward that could be settled by a coin to a party redrawing Gauteng’s political map, **Cape {town} Etc **reports.

Where the numbers stand

On the national proportional representation ballot, the ANC sits on 31.2%, the DA on 24.5% and the MK Party on 9.7%. The IEC expects to release the final outcome and council seat allocations this weekend.

Closer to home, EFF member Carl Niehaus, who was deployed to the party’s Zone 3 in the Cape Town Metro, thanked supporters on X, saying the party would ‘continue to fight for economic freedom in our lifetime.’

A Heartfelt Thank You from EFF Western Cape – Zone 3, Cape Town Metro

From all of us in Zone 3 of the Cape Town Metro — where I have been deployed — a sincere and heartfelt thank you to every single person who voted for the Economic Freedom Fighters.

Your support is not taken for granted. You have placed your trust in us, and we will continue to fight for economic freedom in our lifetime.

#VivaEFF!

A LUTA CONTINUA!

— Carl Niehaus (@niehaus_carl) November 7, 2026

Heads or tails in Buffalo City

In Buffalo City’s Ward 15, the DA and EFF each received exactly 1 714 votes. The IEC’s coin toss to break the tie was put on hold after the EFF objected and demanded a recount, SABC News reports.

‘Can you please stop this toss thing? And go and recount the ballots because this one is not going to help us,’ said the EFF’s Mziyanda Hlekiso. Formal objections closed at 17:00 on Friday, 6 November, the IEC confirmed.

ActionSA’s Gauteng surge, Robben Island win

ActionSA won no Gauteng wards in 2021, by Friday afternoon, it was leading in 51 wards across Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni. Its Hillbrow and Berea showing is now one of the most talked-about election stories on X.Party president Herman Mashaba said ActionSA had won 54 wards nationally, 24 of them taken directly from the ANC, Joburg Etc reports. The party also fielded candidates in all 526 Gauteng wards and says it is open to coalition talks with any party willing to commit to service delivery and fighting corruption.

eNCA’s Ayesha Ismail spoke to ActionSA’s Anslin Gysman and Cape Town mayoral candidate Dereleen James as the party celebrated winning Robben Island and surpassing the one-million-vote mark across the country. Tune in to #eNCA on #DStv403. https://t.co/r3oy0qa0vZ

— eNCA (@eNCA) November 7, 2026

The ANC’s city problem

Urban voters sit at the centre of the** ANC’s slide.** ANC Western Cape convenor Jerimia Thuynsma admitted many Cape Town supporters skipped the polls. ‘In the metro, our people basically stayed at home,’ he told the Cape Argus.

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Also read:

Update: 83% of votes counted in 2026 Local Government Elections

**Picture: **Gallo Images

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