The Western Cape’s 2026 local government election results have been captured and audited following delays caused by outstanding votes, objections and a recount.
According to Cape Town Etc, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) confirmed that all results across the province had been entered into its system and audited.
However, the completion of the counting and auditing process does not mean that the official election results have been declared.
Recount conducted in Breede Valley
A recount was conducted in one voting district in the Breede Valley Municipality following an objection raised during the election process.
Western Cape provincial electoral officer Michael Hendrickse confirmed that the recount had been completed in the presence of political party agents.
The IEC also identified statistical irregularities in its results system, which required additional checks before the figures could be approved.
These verification processes contributed to delays in finalising the Western Cape election results.
Hendrickse explained that objections capable of affecting election outcomes must be addressed in accordance with electoral law.
Cape Town last to complete counting
Cape Town was the final municipality in the Western Cape with outstanding election results as the counting process approached completion.
By approximately 19:00 on Friday, 6 November, around 70 voting slips in the metro were still awaiting tallying.
At the same time, the IEC continued updating its online results dashboard while addressing outstanding objections.
Hendrickse confirmed that two objections had been lodged during the provincial election process.
The additional verification meant officials needed more time before concluding the process.
DA expected to retain Cape Town majority
While final figures were still awaiting official confirmation, the Democratic Alliance (DA) remained on course to secure a comfortable majority in the City of Cape Town.
However, the IEC’s verification process remained important before the election outcome could be formally declared.
The commission’s checks were intended to ensure that recorded votes accurately reflected ballots cast by voters.
What happens next?
With all Western Cape election results captured and audited, the province has moved closer to completing its electoral process.
The remaining objections must still be dealt with before the relevant results can be officially confirmed.
For voters, the additional checks mean a longer wait for certainty over the final outcome.
The IEC’s completion of the provincial count marks a significant step towards confirming the composition of municipal councils following the 4 November elections.
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