- EFF records growth across provinces
- EFF enters more metropolitan councils
- Malema acknowledges the party's challenges
- EFF records growth across provinces
- EFF enters more metropolitan councils
- Malema acknowledges the party's challenges
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has increased its ward victories in the 2026 Local Government Elections.
The party won 37 wards, compared with 19 in the 2021 elections. This represents an increase of 18 wards.
EFF Commander-in-Chief Julius Malema highlighted this growth during a media briefing on Saturday.
He said the party won 30 new wards. It also retained seven wards from the previous elections.
EFF records growth across provinces
The North West recorded the party’s biggest increase. The EFF increased its ward victories from three in 2021 to 10 in 2026.
Meanwhile, Mpumalanga recorded another major gain. The party won seven wards after failing to secure any in 2021.
In the Free State, the EFF increased its victories from two wards to four.
The Eastern Cape also recorded progress. The party moved from zero ward victories in 2021 to two in 2026.
Furthermore, the EFF increased its ward victories in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. It moved from one ward to two in each province.
EFF enters more metropolitan councils
The party also made gains in metropolitan municipalities.
For the first time, the EFF secured ward victories in several metropolitan areas.
These include two wards in the City of Johannesburg. It also won one ward each in Buffalo City and Mangaung.
Malema acknowledges the party’s challenges
Despite these ward gains, the EFF experienced a decline in its overall national electoral support.
However, Malema pointed to the increase in ward victories as an important achievement.
The results give the party more elected ward representatives. These councillors will serve communities through local government structures.
Meanwhile, Malema has announced plans to use party resources to improve service delivery.
The plans include fixing neglected roads and drilling boreholes in wards won by the EFF.
The party now faces the challenge of turning its electoral gains into visible improvements in communities.
