The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) reported that by 5pm on Thursday, 5 November 2026, it had captured more than 60% of the results from the 2026 local government elections. Out of 66,073 results slips, 40,202 had been scanned and 32,238 independently audited, signalling solid progress in the collation process.
IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya spoke at a media briefing on Thursday, emphasising that while the capturing and verification were advancing steadily nationwide, the results remained provisional. “We are pleased to report that the capturing and verification of election results are progressing steadily across the country,” Moepya said. He urged political parties, independent candidates, the media and the public to exercise caution when interpreting these partial figures.
At a provincial level, the Northern Cape led with 87% of its results captured, followed by the Western Cape at 69%, the Free State at 64%, and the Eastern Cape at 60%. The Western Cape’s performance is notable given the large voter turnout, although the City of Cape Town itself was expected to take longer due to the volume of ballots that still needed processing.
Across municipalities, 65 out of South Africa’s 213 municipalities – approximately 31% – had completed capturing, scanning, auditing, and managing exceptions in the results. The IEC remains committed to finalising results as quickly as possible, but final outcomes await the conclusion of all verification processes, including the resolution of any material objections.
While some media reports have referenced party majorities and council control shifts in certain Western Cape municipalities, these details are still provisional. The IEC has reiterated it will only announce official final results after thorough verification and the resolution of disputes.
Moepya concluded: “The Commission remains committed to finalising the results as expeditiously as possible,” highlighting the balance between speed and accuracy in the election results process.
This early stage in results capturing reflects the complexity of South Africa’s democratic process, particularly in densely populated areas like Cape Town and the broader Western Cape. The progress so far indicates that the IEC’s systems for scanning, auditing, and exception handling are functioning effectively, but vigilance continues until all contested results are settled.
Cape Flats readers should note that while results are encouraging, no definitive council compositions or party control declarations should be made yet. CapeFlats.co.za will follow the IEC’s updates closely and provide verified final results when confirmed.