2026 Local Government Elections: Who is running for mayor in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and other metros?

While several parties have now announced candidates, the mayoral race is far from settled. The ANC still has to reduce its list of 42 potential candidates to eight final nominees, while the MK Party and other parties could still announce further candidates.

The DA and EFF have largely completed their metro line-ups, allowing them to begin building campaigns around recognisable candidates.

For the ANC, the next major political decision will be who emerges from its unusual selection process. Those choices will determine the final shape of the races for Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini, Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City, and Mangaung.

Johannesburg is shaping up