JOHANNESBURG - The first results from the eagerly awaited eNCA MarkData 2026 Local Government Elections poll will be announced at 11am on Sunday in a live television broadcast on eNCA.
Under the leadership of hugely respected pollster Dr Elsa Thirion Venter, eNCA has done everything to produce the largest, most accurate political opinion poll in the six largest metros – Johannesburg, Tshwane, Nelson Mandela Bay, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini and Cape Town.
To see just how eNCA did it, read the article on our method elsewhere on this page.
In short, a thousand meticulously selected people, representative in almost every measurable way were polled face to face or telephonically about how they intended to vote on 4 November, who they wanted, and did not want, as coalition partners and mayors, which party they thought was most corrupt, and a number of fascinating other issues.
The results are absolutely astounding, and together with certain high-profile events unfurling currently, they will help steer South African politics in the medium term.
eNCA will be releasing the polling results two metros at a time over the next three weeks. Nelson Mandela Bay (serving Gqeberha, Kariega and surrounds) and Ekurhuleni (serving the East Rand) will be released this Sunday, 11 October.
On 18 October, eNCA will release eThekwini (Durban and surrounds) and Tshwane (based in Pretoria). On 25 October, it will be the turn of Johannesburg and Cape Town. And on 1 November, a mere three days before the elections, eNCA is going to really astound you with some polling on wider South African issues.
eNCA's panel of experts will announce and interpret the headline results on the television broadcast. The full results for that week’s two metros will be published on this website.
Why Nelson Mandela Bay and Ekurhuleni are announced first
eNCA selected Nelson Mandela Bay (Gqeberha, Kariega and surrounds) and Ekurhuleni (the East Rand) to be announced first for a number of reasons.
These include:
· Nelson Mandela Bay had the closest metro result in the country between the ANC and the DA in the 2016. 2021 and 2024 elections.
· The EFF made good inroads in Nelson Mandela Bay in 2024.
· Nelson Mandela Bay was the metro in which the PA achieved its best result in 2024.
· Nelson Mandela Bay hosts the most high-profile ward contest battle between the DA and the FF Plus in the country: DJs Daron Mann (DA) and Renaldo Gouws (FF Plus) will battle.
· Action SA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip is a former mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay.
· The Nelson Mandela Bay townships have historically been ANC heartland territory.
· Ekurhuleni is normally the Gauteng metro where the ANC achieves its best result.
· Ekurhuleni is the Gauteng metro where the MK Party achieved its best result in 2024.
· In this election, Ekurhuleni features celebrity candidates like Xolani Khumalo.
· Ekurhuleni is the second most densely populated metro in Gauteng, and the fourth most densely populated metro in South Africa.
· Ekurhuleni neighbourhood to watch: Thembisa. If the ANC does better than expected here, it bodes well for its township results across Gauteng.
When will my metro’s poll result be announced?
On Sunday, 11 October, results will be announced for Nelson Mandela Bay and Ekurhuleni.
On Sunday, 18 October, results will be announced for Tshwane and eThekwini.
On Sunday, 25 October, results will be announced for Johannesburg and Cape Town.