The ANC has lost Ward 19 in Qunu, Nelson Mandela’s childhood home and burial site, to the African Transformation Movement after failing to register a candidate in the local elections.
The murder of UDM councillor Luxolo Namette has sparked widespread outrage across Nelson Mandela Bay, with political leaders and Salga calling for swift arrests.
The DA has emerged as the largest party in Nelson Mandela Bay following a tight race, but with no outright majority, talks are now underway to form a governing coalition.
No party won an outright majority in Bitou, so coalition talks will decide who runs the next administration.
Following the elections, political parties in Nelson Mandela Bay must look past coalition musical chairs and focus on urgent service delivery and infrastructure repair.
How close will the DA get to the 50% mark in Nelson Mandela Bay, or will it secure the outright majority needed to govern the metro on its own?
The ANC in Nelson Mandela Bay has conceded a sharp decline in electoral support, acknowledging voter anger over poor service delivery, crumbling infrastructure, and internal candidate selection disputes as the DA takes a commanding lead.
DA supporters in Knysna had hoped to celebrate an outright victory.
Casting a ballot is only the beginning of democratic participation. Nelson Mandela Bay residents must hold their local councillors accountable to ensure basic service delivery and community dignity.
Several municipalities in the Eastern Cape face hung councils following local government elections, setting the stage for intense coalition talks as no single party secured an outright majority.
The ANC has lost its outright majority in seven Eastern Cape municipalities, with early results showing Buffalo City Metro could also head into a coalition.
Nelson Mandela Bay residents queued before dawn on Wednesday, some on crutches, some in wheelchairs and others in cycling gear, to judge a municipality battered by blackouts, crumbling buildings, potholes and crime.
For the first time in the Eastern Cape, the ANC has lost its majority in Makana and the Sundays River Valley municipalities.
The DA has taken an early lead in Nelson Mandela Bay with over 39% of the vote as early counting progresses across the metro.
Voting across Ndlambe Municipality proceeded peacefully and steadily, with elderly citizens and first-time voters turning out across the Sunshine Coast despite slow morning queues.
