The Karoo Hoogland Municipality has reverted to a hung council following the by-elections held on 29 May 2025, in which the ANC lost a ward, undoing the outright majority it had secured during the by-election of 4 December 2024, when it gained a ward from the DA. Initially a hung council after the 2021 local government elections, the municipality was governed through a coalition between the ANC and the Patriotic Alliance (PA). The recent by-election results have once again altered the balance of power, with the ANC now holding five (previously six) of the 11 seats, the PA three (previously two), the DA two, and the FF+ one. With no party holding a clear majority, the council has returned to hung status, and the ANC is likely to approach the PA for coalition talks, as they had previously governed together. This shift reflects the ongoing impact of by-elections on the composition and governance of local councils across South Africa.
Author: Boikanyo Nkwatle
