IEC: Finalizes 2026 Local Government Election Steps for Council Convening

• The IEC has outlined the final steps for the 2026 Local Government Elections, including gazetting councillor names and convening municipal councils.
• Municipal managers must convene the first council meeting within 14 days of councillors being declared elected, as per the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act.
• Political parties were given a short window to supplement candidate lists if they won more seats than nominated proportional representation candidates, risking seat forfeiture if they failed to do so.
• Candidates assigned to multiple seats, or independent candidates in multiple wards, must choose one, or their name will be deleted, potentially leading to a by-election.
• Four ward contests in the recent elections were decided by lot due to an equal number of votes, as stipulated by the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act.

According to the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, municipal managers are legally mandated to convene the first meeting of their respective councils within a strict 14-day period after the councillors have been officially declared elected.

The Electoral Commission (IEC) has detailed the crucial next phases following the announcement of the 2026 Local Government Elections results on Sunday, November 8, 2026. These steps are essential for finalizing the IEC final councillor list and initiating the South Africa municipal council convening process. The ultimate goal is the official gazetting of the names of all elected councillors, which will then pave the way for the inaugural sittings of municipal councils across the country.

According to the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, municipal managers are legally mandated to convene the first meeting of their respective councils within a strict 14-day period after the councillors have been officially declared elected. This statutory deadline underscores the urgency and precision required in the post-election phase. Before this final publication, the Commission must meticulously complete several administrative processes related to party candidate lists and resolve instances where candidates might be assigned to multiple seats.

A key IEC 2026 local government election steps involves the meticulous review and potential IEC candidate list supplementation. On Monday, November 9, 2026, the Commission issued formal notifications to political parties that had secured more seats than the proportional representation (PR) candidates they initially nominated. These parties were given a tight deadline, until 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, to submit additional candidates to cover their shortfalls.

The Commission explicitly clarified that this opportunity was solely for addressing deficits in candidate numbers, not for altering existing lists or replacing previously nominated individuals. Parties that failed to provide sufficient candidates to meet their seat allocation, particularly if the shortfall made it impossible to achieve a quorum, faced the serious consequence of forfeiting those unassigned seats. Furthermore, the IEC is responsible for informing parties when a candidate on their list could potentially be allocated to more than one seat. This provision also extends to independent candidates who might be eligible for multiple ward seats. In such scenarios, the party or independent candidate must make an election, choosing which seat the candidate will occupy. Should a party or independent candidate fail to make this crucial decision, the candidate's name will be removed from the list. If the deleted name belongs to a candidate designated for a ward seat, this deletion will necessitate a by-election to fill the vacancy.

Ensuring definitive outcomes for every contest is a fundamental principle of the electoral process. In situations where ward candidates equal votes lot, the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act provides a clear mechanism under Item 8: the result must be determined by lot. This method was employed in four distinct ward contests during the recent elections, specifically in Ward 7 of Mnquma Municipality in the Eastern Cape, Ward 14 of Maluti A Phofung Municipality in the Free State, Ward 5 of Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality in Limpopo, and Ward 17 of Steve Tshwete Municipality in Mpumalanga.

The 2026 Local Government Elections saw a total of 10,526 seats contested across various municipal structures. This comprehensive figure includes 8,825 local council seats, which are further divided into 4,485 ward seats and 4,340 proportional representation seats. Additionally, there are 1,701 district council seats. Of these district seats, 707 (representing 40% of the total) were filled through the district proportional representation ballot. The remaining 994 district seats, constituting 60%, will be allocated through an indirect process where local councillors elect representatives from among themselves to serve on the district councils.

Lawyers advising political parties or municipal administrations must be aware of the strict deadlines and procedures outlined by the IEC for finalizing councillor lists and convening municipal councils, particularly regarding the supplementation of candidate lists to avoid seat forfeiture and the 14-day statutory period for inaugural council sittings under the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act.

Source: Original reporting via the Electoral Commission's statement.