Mirand – The participation of more than 540 political parties and nearly 137 000 candidates who stood for election bears witness to the “multi-party nature of our democracy”, President Cyril Ramaphosa stated.
He made his remarks at the announcement of the Local Government Election results on Sunday, 8 November 2026.
President Ramaphosa said: “Greater choice and more competition are the signs of a healthy democracy.
“At a time when democracy is under strain in many parts of the world, South Africans have shown once more that ours is a strong and enduring democracy.”
He said the elections took place at a time when “our people” were facing considerable challenges.
“Many households are struggling with the high cost of living,” President Ramaphosa said.
“Too many people, particularly young people, remain without work.
“In too many communities, the quality of municipal services falls far short of what our people have a right to expect.
“South Africans want to live in communities where they feel safe, where public infrastructure is maintained, where businesses can flourish and where young people can look to the future with hope.”
President Ramaphosa said these expectations were not unreasonable.
“They are the basic requirements of a life of dignity. Through these elections, our people have made their political choices freely,” President Ramaphosa said.
Voters, he said, made their political choices.
“Some have placed their faith in established parties,” he said.
“Others have placed their hopes in new formations and independent candidates.”
He said all who seek public office must be judged by one standard: whether they deliver on their promises.
“This is democracy doing what it is supposed to do.”
President Ramaphosa said the election was now over and “the work of serving the people must begin”.
“In municipalities where no political party has secured an outright majority, the elected representatives will need to find common ground.”
