Stay informed, fast, with News Bite, your daily update on South Africa and the world, presented by Marcelle Gordon.
As the country awaits final election results, coalition horse-trading has begun in earnest across dozens of hung municipalities, with the battle for Johannesburg front and centre. With about half of the votes captured, the DA was leading the race in the city of gold, putting the ANC under pressure to consider an unlikely coalition with GNU partner ActionSA. Analysts note that incoming leaders face intense scrutiny over service delivery and every rand spent.
The IEC is expected to declare final election results on Sunday. Political parties have wasted no time claiming victories or assessing performance. The DA has declared wins in the Western Cape and ruled out coalitions with the EFF or MK Party in the Eastern Cape.
Meanwhile, the MK Party dominated historic ANC strongholds across KZN, securing outright majorities in Richmond, Impendle, and the Johannes Pumani Phungula local municipalitiesPolitical analysts Andre Duvenhage and Thabang Motswaledi describe the current polls as the biggest rejection for the ANC since 1994, pointing to a permanent reconfiguration of South Africa's political landscape.
While ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu notes the party remains a leading force in six provinces, mayoral candidates like Jeremiah Thuynsma admit voters have lost trust and the party must own its mistakes.
Low voter turnout, particularly among the youth, emerged as a defining feature of the elections. eNCA journalist Naomi Kobbie spoke with young voters in Mpumalanga, where post-grad student Liabona Mula explained that despite hundreds of contesting parties, many young South Africans feel systemic corruption and lack of targeted economic planning leave them sidelined.
Former president Jacob Zuma spoke outside the Durban High Court, where his daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla saw her application to have terrorism-related charges withdrawn rejected by Judge Mbuzeni Mathenjwa. She remains in the dock facing charges of inciting public violence during the July 2021 unrest, with the trial postponed to 17 May next year.
Severe storms and hailstorms battered parts of the Eastern Cape, causing several home collapses in Nomaheya Village and New Look, with disaster officials from the Amathole District Municipality deploying aid.
Globally, U.S. stock markets fell following the midterm elections and a democratic blue wave that triggered portfolio reassessments away from AI-linked stocks over regulatory fears.
Additionally, low-cost carrier flights across Europe faced security disruptions following a series of bomb threat hoaxes.
SPORTS
The double World Cup-winning Springboks face Italy in Turin on Saturday to open the Nations Championship, with veteran Damien Willemse stressing the importance of a strong start.
In football, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos announced a 27-man squad featuring 12 Mamelodi Sundowns players for upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Kenya.
In the EPL, Michael Carrick prepares Manchester United to host Aston Villa at Old Trafford.
That is your News Bite for 6 November 2026. Keep an eye on enca.com and DStv Channel 403 for the latest updates.