EASTERN CAPE — The 2026 local government elections in the Eastern Cape have significantly reshaped the region’s political landscape, marked by a notable decline in the African National Congress’s (ANC) traditional stronghold. The ANC’s ward vote in the province dropped from 62% to 45%, while 12 of the province’s 33 municipal councils are now hung. This electoral shift has positioned the United Democratic Movement (UDM) to play a crucial role in upcoming coalition negotiations, driven by voter frustrations over poor service delivery, water shortages, and deteriorating infrastructure.
Speaking on the election outcomes, UDM Treasurer-General Patrick Sitole expressed that the party was not surprised by its performance in the province. He noted the UDM’s historical footprint in the region, recalling that the party previously governed the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Local Municipality. The party lost control of KSD following the introduction of floor-crossing legislation, which Sitole described as unconstitutional. The UDM successfully appealed the law at the Constitutional Court, which ruled in their favor, calling the legislation inhumane.
Despite limited resources and a short campaign window, the UDM successfully won 13 wards in the recent elections. Sitole noted that the party’s minimum target was to secure 50% of the wards, but an administrative hurdle with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) prevented the party from registering its Proportional Representation (PR) lists.
The UDM’s strategic groundwork has yielded a steady growth trajectory in key areas. In the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality, the party’s voter support grew from 14% in the 2021 local government elections to 21% in 2024, and secured 15% in the 2026 elections.
Sitole attributed this success to a rigorous organizational strategy. Following regional conferences last year, provincial conferences in March, and a national conference in June, the party focused on establishing branch cells in every single voting station. This ground-level structure, combined with robust marketing and media campaigns, allowed the UDM to effectively mobilize voters. The party also successfully recruited former ANC members who had been rejected by the ruling party, including prominent figures like KSD mayoral candidate Prince Ndamase, who committed to a full-time, project-driven leadership approach.
Looking ahead, the UDM is navigating complex coalition negotiations for hung councils in major municipalities, including Buffalo City, King Sabata Dalindyebo, and Nelson Mandela Bay. Sitole emphasized that coalition decisions must not be made emotionally, but rather in direct response to the voters’ clear mandate for shared governance.
“Voters have decided that never again should we allow ourselves to put our eggs in one basket,” Sitole stated, highlighting the public’s desire for collaborative governance.
While the UDM has opened its doors for consultations and has already engaged with various political parties in KSD and other municipalities, the ANC has notably not yet initiated talks with them. Despite this, Sitole maintained that the UDM currently has no strict non-negotiables, keeping the door open for discussions to form stable, service-delivery-focused coalition governments across the Eastern Cape.
