President Cyril Ramaphosa told newly elected councillors on Sunday evening, 8 November 2026, that public office is a duty of service, not a prize, as the Independent Electoral Commission announced the final results of the 2026 Local Government Elections.
Speaking at the IEC National Results Operations Centre at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Ramaphosa called on all political parties to put communities first in municipalities where no single party won an outright majority. According to IOL, which published the full text of the address, the President framed the vote as a mandate for delivery, not for political squabbling.
The people shall govern, and the people are watching
Ramaphosa anchored his speech in the Freedom Charter and the Constitution, signed into law 30 years ago. He reminded his audience, and the country, that the authority to govern comes from the people and belongs to no political party.
“It is not inherited. It is not owned by any political party. It is not the permanent possession of those who hold public office,” he said.
For black South Africans who fought and died for the right to vote, this is not rhetoric. It is the plain truth of a democracy won through struggle, and it cuts both ways. The people who queued in 1994 and the young people who voted for the first time four days ago share one demand: their lives must improve.
The scale of participation was remarkable. More than 540 political parties and nearly 137,000 candidates stood for election, a sign, in the President's words, of a healthy multi-party democracy at a moment when democracy is under strain across the world.
What South Africans actually voted for
Ramaphosa did not shy away from the hardships driving voters' choices. He named the high cost of living, the unemployment of too many young people, and municipal services that fall short of what communities deserve.
He quoted the African liberation leader Amilcar Cabral: the people are fighting to win material benefits, to live better and in peace, and to guarantee the future of their children. That quote carries weight in a country where the promises of 1994 remain unfulfilled in too many townships and villages.
“They want jobs and opportunities. They want water to come out of the tap and electricity that works. They want their refuse collected, their parks maintained and their streets safe,” Ramaphosa said.
This is the standard by which our people judge government, the President insisted, not policies on paper or speeches at results ceremonies. Daily Maverick's live coverage captured his central message that coalitions must serve residents, not just political parties.
Coalitions: deliver or betray the vote
Where no party secured an outright majority, Ramaphosa said, elected representatives must find common ground. He described this not as a weakness of democracy but as an expression of the choices voters made.
“The people did not cast their votes so that their representatives could spend the next five years fighting among themselves. They voted because they expect their lives to improve,” he warned.
He demanded that councils be constituted without delay, that budgets be passed on time, and that negotiations over municipal governments not descend into contests over positions and privileges. The stability of municipalities, he said, cannot be sacrificed to narrow political interests, and service delivery cannot be held hostage by political disagreements.
A reset for local government
The new councillors take office as the revised White Paper on Local Government proposes a broad overhaul of how municipalities function. The President said the changes aim to strengthen municipalities, improve their finances, direct resources towards infrastructure maintenance, and ensure services reach residents reliably.
He also paid tribute to the IEC, the NATJOINTS security structures, party agents, observers, media workers, and the thousands of election officials who worked long hours. SABC News reported his arrival at the Midrand centre ahead of the ceremony.
“The ballots have been counted. The choices have been made. The responsibility now passes to those who have been elected,” Ramaphosa said.
Frequently asked questions
When did Ramaphosa deliver his address on the election results?
He spoke on Sunday evening, 8 November 2026, at the IEC Results Operations Centre in Midrand, after the final results of the 2026 Local Government Elections were announced.
What did Ramaphosa say about coalitions?
He said parties in municipalities without an outright majority must negotiate in good faith, constitute councils without delay, and put residents' interests above positions and power struggles.
How many parties and candidates took part in the 2026 local elections?
According to the President, more than 540 political parties and nearly 137,000 candidates stood for election.