The Patriotic Alliance (PA) and ActionSA have made notable gains in the latest round of by-elections, capturing several wards previously held by the African National Congress (ANC) and signalling a continued shift in local political dynamics.
The PA secured two major victories — one in Soweto’s Ward 29 under the City of Johannesburg and another in the Western Cape — while ActionSA took control of Ward 7 in the Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality in the North West.
In the tightly contested Soweto race, the PA unseated the ANC with 30% of the vote, further consolidating its growing presence in Johannesburg. The victory lifts the party’s representation in the City of Johannesburg Council to 11 seats, while the ANC’s tally drops to 89.
Meanwhile, ActionSA continued to build momentum in the North West, winning Ward 7 with 33% of the vote, displacing the ANC in yet another symbolic blow to the ruling party.
Despite these losses, the ANC managed to retain control in several areas, holding onto wards in Musina (Limpopo) with 62%, Dr AB Xuma Municipality (Eastern Cape) with 76%, and Langeberg Municipality (Western Cape) with 47%.
In another key Western Cape contest, the PA captured Ward 6 in Swellendam Municipality — a seat previously under ANC control — with 50% of the vote, marking another milestone in its expanding footprint across the province.
The latest by-election results underscore growing competition in local politics as smaller parties continue to erode the ANC’s traditional dominance, particularly in urban centres and mixed municipalities.
