SMWX

With over 70% of votes counted and captured across South Africa, by the IEC, the picture is starting to be clearer about where power will lie across many councils in the country. The ANC, in this watershed election, have lost all their majorities in municipalities that have been historically strongholds, and the DA has surpassed the ANC in many of these municipalities as the biggest party. Otsile Nkadimeng, SMWX analyst, unpacks!

The ANC faces a dramatic collapse as early CSIR projections point to major shifts in South Africa’s 2026 local government elections. The DA is gaining ground in key metros, ActionSA is showing signs of a comeback, and the EFF and MK Party face difficult questions. In this SMWX analysis, we unpack the national picture, the battle for Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, and striking projections from Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City and Mangaung. We also examine what voting trends in Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo could mean for 2029, Cyril Ramaphosa’s legacy and the ANC’s future.

We're coming to you live from the IEC's Results Centre and we are speaking to political leaders about their thoughts of the results thus far.

The results have started to come in from the 2026 Local Government Elections in South Africa. With the counting just under 20% complete, we're bringing you analysis of the picture we're seeing so far; how is the ANC doing across municipalities that have been historically strong-holds for them, how are other relatively newer and smaller parties performing and what the national picture looks like.

We're coming to you live from the IEC's Results Operation Centre (ROC) in Midrand, Johannesburg and we'll be bringing you extensive coverage of the election results, analysis and interviews with some key political leaders as the results trickle in. Stay tuned to SMWX throughout the week.

Dr Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh and Mighti Jamie come together in front of a live audience in Durban to unpack the Madlanga Commission, alleged cartel influence and what the revelations mean for South Africa’s democracy. Sizwe shares the story behind his interview with Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, while the two reflect on General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s whistleblowing and the moments at the commission that shocked them most. From Witness B’s testimony to questions surrounding Fannie Masemola, Andrea Johnson and IDAC, they examine allegations of interference in policing and the importance of public accountability. The conversation also explores the rise of independent podcasts, their relationship with mainstream journalism and the responsibilities that come with a growing platform. Taking questions from the audience, they debate media ethics, the right of reply, civic education and misinformation, before addressing whether Cyril Ramaphosa should testify before the commission and how South Africa’s Constitution and institutions could better serve its people.

Vuyo Zungula returns to SMWX to discuss his bid to become Johannesburg’s mayor and the African Transformation Movement’s plans to tackle the city’s service-delivery failures. He outlines proposals to repair infrastructure, reduce reliance on water tankers, restructure municipal entities and confront what he describes as criminal networks operating within and around the city. Zungula sets out ATM’s conditions for joining a coalition, addresses voter disillusionment and raises his concerns about electoral integrity. Drawing lessons from the Madlanga Commission, he argues for independent investigations into municipal corruption and explains how he would measure progress on financial management, water losses, support for small businesses and the reclamation of hijacked buildings. The conversation also explores his opposition to the DA’s approach to privatisation and his case for bringing core municipal services in-house. Turning to Phala Phala, Zungula criticises the suspension of the impeachment inquiry and explains why he believes parliamentary scrutiny of Cyril Ramaphosa is essential to accountability in South Africa’s highest office.

Why vote when it feels as though one person cannot change anything? In this TedXDurban x SMWX talk, Dr Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh challenges that argument by comparing voting to applause: its power comes from individual voices joining together, not from any one person deciding the outcome. He explores the make-up of South Africa’s electorate, highlighting the electoral weight of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal and the gap between women’s participation and their representation in political leadership. Sizwe then explains his polling-average methodology and shares his predictions for the 2026 local government elections, assessing the ANC’s potential decline, the DA’s prospects in the major cities and the MK Party’s strength in eThekwini. From coalition possibilities to the contest over Cape Town’s outright majority, he examines how the political map could change—and why the collective power of voting matters far more than the influence of any single ballot.

In this week’s episode of Week in Review, we unpack the breaking news of former IDAC head Andrea Johnson and former SAPS senior intelligence offical Feroz Khan’s arrest. We also unpack Suliman Carrim’s bail application, Lt Gen Mkhwanazi’s proposed appointment as Hawks head and much more from this week.

The 2026 Local Government Elections are fast looming and Dr Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh makes his predictions for the various metropolitan municipalities, and the national picture.