The Independent Civic Organisation of SA (ICOSA) has emerged as the leading party in the Kannaland municipality, securing 27.1% of the vote. However, with no party achieving an outright majority, the council remains hung. ICOSA and the DA have each won three seats on the 10-seat council, while the Patriotic Alliance (PA) has taken two seats. The Kannaland Independent Party and the ANC each secured one seat. This outcome sets the stage for coalition negotiations.
Jeffrey Donson, ICOSA's president and a convicted child rapist, was at the center of controversy after becoming the mayor of Kannaland in 2021. He was initially removed from office in January 2022 following a motion of no confidence, but later returned to the position in October 2022. Donson's continued leadership of ICOSA has been met with criticism, with Action Society spokesperson Juanita du Preez previously describing his hold on the post as "indefensible."
The PA has emerged as a crucial player in the coalition negotiations, holding the balance of power with two seats. Both ICOSA and the DA would need to form an alliance with the PA and one other party to secure a majority. A potential DA-led coalition with the PA and either the Kannaland Independent Party or the ANC could give the DA the necessary six seats to govern.
In neighboring Oudtshoorn, the DA secured 37.78% of the vote, winning 10 seats on the 25-seat council. However, the party remains three seats short of a majority. The ANC took second place with 19.53% and five seats, followed by the PA and the FF Plus, each securing three seats. A coalition with either the FF Plus or the PA would give the DA the 13 seats needed to govern alone.
The PA also made significant gains in the Central Karoo, becoming the largest party in Prince Albert with five seats, one short of a majority. The DA, which previously governed Prince Albert, will need to negotiate with other parties to secure a majority. In Laingsburg, ActionSA topped the vote with 26.59%, ahead of the DA on 25.35% and the ANC on 24.49%.
The Laingsburg council is also hung, with ActionSA and the DA each winning three seats, the ANC taking two seats, and the PA and the People's Movement for Change (PMC) each securing one seat. The DA's Aletta Theron has been serving as Laingsburg mayor since June 2025 under a DA-ANC coalition. The outcome in Laingsburg sets the stage for further coalition negotiations.
The 2026 local government elections have highlighted the complexities of coalition politics in South Africa. In Kannaland, the outcome has raised concerns about ICOSA's ability to govern effectively, given Donson's controversial leadership. As coalition negotiations unfold, the focus will be on the ability of parties to work together to provide effective governance.
Key points
- ICOSA's 27.1% vote share in Kannaland makes it the leading party, but the council remains hung.
- The PA holds the balance of power in Kannaland with two seats.
- The DA is three seats short of a majority in Oudtshoorn, but could secure a majority with a coalition with the PA or FF Plus.
