South Africa Local Elections 2026: Metro Mayors, Dates and UK Times

South Africa votes in local government elections on Wednesday 4 November 2026, from 07:00 to 21:00 South African time, which is 05:00 to 19:00 in the UK (GMT). Voters elect councils, not mayors: the new councils of Johannesburg, Tshwane, eThekwini (Durban), Nelson Mandela Bay and Ekurhuleni choose the mayors afterwards, and at 06:50 UK time on 26 October 2026 the versus page for Who becomes Johannesburg's next mayor? showed 50p for Helen Zille, the market's estimate of a 50% chance that the new council elects her.

Prices run from 0p to 100p; the name that becomes mayor settles at 100p and every other name at 0p (how to read market probabilities). versus does not say who will win, and this guide is for readers in Great Britain.

Two ballots, then a council vote

South Africa's Electoral Commission, the IEC, gives 7 August 2026 as the proclamation date on its election timetable, and its release of 16 September counts 10,526 seats to be contested in 257 municipalities. Only South African citizens aged 18 or over on the voters' roll can vote, at the station where they registered; the IEC's website showed 29,230,808 registered voters on 26 October. In a metro each voter gets a ward ballot and a party ballot: half the seats go to ward winners, and party lists fill the rest so that each party's total follows its combined votes (IEC guide to council seats).

The Electoral Commission Act gives the IEC seven days after the vote to declare results (section 5), to Wednesday 11 November. Under the Municipal Structures Act, the new council's first meeting must be called within 14 days of it being declared elected (section 29), and a council with an executive mayor elects one from among its members (section 55); with two or more nominees, councillors vote by secret ballot and the winner needs a majority (Schedule 3). Since a 2021 amendment, parties cannot change their lists between the close of nominations and the day after that first meeting (Schedule 1, item 20), so someone who was not a candidate cannot join a council before it.

The five metros: 2021 seats, today's mayor, live readings

List positions are from the IEC's certified candidate lists as supplemented on 23 October 2026 under a Constitutional Court order, which use full legal names; readings are from 06:50 UK time on 26 October 2026.

Johannesburg. 2021: African National Congress (ANC) 91 of 270 seats, Democratic Alliance (DA) 71, ActionSA 44, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) 29 (IEC). Dada Morero is executive mayor (City of Johannesburg, 23 October 2026). The DA named Helen Zille its mayoral candidate in September 2025; Herman Mashaba heads ActionSA's list and Loyiso Masuku the ANC's, and no candidate called David Makhura or Frank Chikane is listed for this council. The prediction showed 50p for Helen Zille, 16p for David Makhura and 6.7p for Herman Mashaba.

Tshwane. 2021: ANC 75 of 214 seats, DA 69, EFF 23, ActionSA 19, Freedom Front Plus 17 (IEC). Nasiphi Moya of ActionSA has been executive mayor since 9 October 2024 (City of Tshwane website) and heads her party's list; Cilliers Brink heads the DA's, and Aaron Maluleka is third on the ANC's. The prediction showed 45.5p for Cilliers Brink, 24p for Nasiphi Moya and 22.4p for Aaron Maluleka.

Durban (eThekwini). 2021: ANC 96 of 222 seats, DA 59, EFF 24, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) 16 (IEC). Cyril Xaba is mayor (eThekwini Municipality, 26 October 2026), and the ANC's list is headed by Vusumuzi Cyril Xaba. The DA named Haniff Hoosen in September 2025 and he heads its list; Mkhuleko Hlengwa leads the IFP's. No candidate called Mxolisi Phakathi is listed for eThekwini. The prediction showed 32.6p for Apostle Mxolisi Phakathi, 23p for Haniff Hoosen and 10.5p for Mkhuleko Hlengwa.

Nelson Mandela Bay. 2021: DA and ANC 48 of 120 seats each, EFF 8 (IEC). Babalwa Lobishe of the ANC is executive mayor (council page) and second on the ANC's list. Retief Odendaal, the DA's mayoral candidate, heads its list; three answers, Andile Lungisa, Siva Pillay and Xolani Vela, are not on the list. The prediction showed 33.1p for Babalwa Lobishe and 34.5p for Retief Odendaal.

Ekurhuleni. 2021: ANC 86 of 224 seats, DA 65, EFF 31, ActionSA 15 (IEC). Nkosindiphile Xhakaza has been executive mayor since 11 April 2024 (City of Ekurhuleni) and is third on the ANC's list, which Jongizizwe Dlabathi heads. Khathutshelo Rasilingwane accepted the DA's nomination for mayor in March 2026 and heads its list. The prediction showed 27.1p for Khathutshelo Rasilingwane, 19.6p for Jongizizwe Dlabathi and 8.4p for Nkosindiphile Xhakaza.

When a prediction counts a new mayor

All five settle on the first person the new council elects who then formally takes office as mayor; a temporary, interim or caretaker mayor installed before the vote does not count (what market resolution means). Official South African sources, the IEC included, come first; agreement among credible news reports can also settle it. Polling day alone settles nothing, because the largest party can still lose the council vote. With nothing definite by 04:59 UK time (BST) on Thursday 1 July 2027, no listed name wins. Only the Tshwane rules say that every listed name settles at 0p if someone else becomes mayor; the others are silent on it (how to verify market rules).

Trading is listed to end at 04:59 GMT on Thursday 5 November for four of the five and at 04:59 GMT on Wednesday 18 November for Ekurhuleni; each settles once a mayor has taken office (when markets close). Four of the five rules expect first meetings by 18 November, but the Act counts its 14 days from the council being declared elected, not from polling day.

From polling day to the first council sittings, in UK time

• Wednesday 28 October: the national results operation centre in Midrand opens, the IEC said on 14 October.
• Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 November, 06:00 to 15:00 GMT: special voting (08:00 to 17:00 in South Africa).
• Wednesday 4 November, 05:00 to 19:00 GMT: polling day. Seat totals show whether a party can elect a mayor with its own councillors' votes; in 2021 none could in any of these five.
• Wednesday 11 November: the end of the IEC's seven days to declare results.
• Mid to late November: first council meetings, where the mayors are due to be elected and the predictions can settle.
• Thursday 19 November: the South African Reserve Bank's rate decision, a separate versus prediction.

Before you trade

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Frequently asked questions

When is the South African local election?

On Wednesday 4 November 2026, from 07:00 to 21:00 South African time, which is 05:00 to 19:00 in the UK.

How is the mayor of Johannesburg chosen?

Residents vote for a ward councillor and a party, not for a mayor. The new council then elects the executive mayor from among its councillors by secret ballot; the winner needs a majority.

When will the results be known?

The IEC has seven days after the vote to declare them, to 11 November; the mayors follow when the new councils meet.

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