Elections and coalitions: what does SA’s political future look like?
Prepare for election posters, politicking and potentially empty promises from politicians who we haven’t heard from since the last elections: we’re entering an election year. South Africa’s municipal elections are set to take place between 2 November 2026 and 1 February 2027. In the age of hung councils and waning ANC support, things have arguably never been so interesting in the world of South African politics. 3Cube Property Solutions takes a look at what to expect along the road to the elections and beyond.
First things first: what are local government elections?
If you live in a major city like Johannesburg or Cape Town, you fall under a metropolitan municipality and receive two ballot papers on election day: one to choose a ward councillor and one to vote for the party that will run the metro. If you live in a local municipality, such as Rustenburg or Vredendal, you receive three ballot papers: one for a ward councillor, one for the party governing the local municipality, and a third for the party that will lead the district municipal council, which oversees and supports local municipalities.
Expected implications of the 2026/27 local government elections
As the 2024 national elections showcased, South Africans have never been more divided on the issue of who should be leading us. In 2024, this meant that no party won a sizable majority. This has forced parties to work together and create our Government of National Unity (GNU).
According to Independent Media, policy analysts and the South African Local Government Association have warned that the upcoming municipal elections are likely to lead to a significant increase in the same phenomenon at local level. Single parties will be unable to win an outright majority. To this, Professor Zweli Ndevu of the Inclusive Society Institute adds that “this trend reflects a declining trust in any one political party to govern effectively.”
When no party secures more than 50% of the seats in a local municipality, the scenario is called a hung council. In this situation, as has happened nationally, parties will need to negotiate alliances and form coalition governments. The number of hung councils has been climbing since 2000, when there were just 29 hung councils across South Africa. As of the last municipal elections, held in 2021, there are more than 80.
Why are coalition governments problematic?
On a national level, the mayhem around the 2025 budget is a great example of the chaos and forced compromise that coalition governments can bring. The eventual outcome (no VAT increase) was great news for South Africa but we all endured weeks of confusion and instability on the way.
In an article penned last year for The Saturday Star by DA spokesperson Dave Bryant, we are reminded that the “lived experience” of South African citizens living under hung councils is far from idyllic. Bryant points out that, at the time of writing, Johannesburg had seen nine executive mayors since 2016 as a result of its hung council. Tshwane, also a hung council, had said hello and goodbye to six executive mayors by the end of 2024. Gauteng’s ever-changing leadership makes it hard to get things done, which is one of the factors contributing to the province’s challenges with potholes and street lights.
Over and above political instability, hung councils have far-reaching practical consequences. Fragmented governance slows infrastructure upgrades, because coalition partners often struggle to agree on budgets and priorities. Disagreements can also lead to delays in approvals, zoning decisions and service delivery. These issues can compound over time, as councils battle to pass tariff increases and implement cost-containment measures.
In Tshwane, for example, coalition governance has been associated with delays and abandonment of key infrastructure projects. The coalition government was criticised in late 2025, having been in office just over a year, over the stalled Hammanskraal water project – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
While politics, elections and hung councils are factors out of your business’s control, there are various actions you can take to ensure your future success. Topping the list is ensuring that you have the right premises. If you need to find your business its dream home in Gauteng or the Western Cape, get in touch with 3Cube Property Solutions.