The Democratic Alliance has emerged as the largest party in five major municipalities across Gauteng, including all three metropolitan areas and the secondary cities of Emfuleni and Mogale City. According to Daily Maverick, this electoral success does not guarantee control, as every municipality in the province except Midvaal will require a coalition government to achieve a majority. The DA and the African National Congress are identified as the only parties capable of anchoring these coalitions, with the Alliance for Change (ActionSA) serving as a vital third component for most majorities.

In Johannesburg, the DA and ActionSA can form a majority with the support of just one additional party, whereas the ANC would need to secure support from ActionSA, the Economic Freedom Fighters, and likely at least two other parties. In Tshwane, ActionSA holds the second-largest share of seats and can form a majority coalition with the DA independently. The ANC’s path to power in Tshwane is more complex, requiring alliances with ActionSA, the EFF, and another party such as the MK or SACP. Similarly, in Ekurhuleni, ActionSA holds the key to bringing a majority to either a DA-led or an ANC-led coalition, depending on which parties are included.

Daily Maverick notes that these potential coalitions appear more stable than those formed in 2021, which often required eight to ten partners in Johannesburg. The current landscape allows for majorities to be formed with as few as three parties. In Mogale City, ActionSA holds kingmaker status if the DA and ANC fail to reach an agreement, with a DA, FF+, and ActionSA coalition holding a majority. The ANC would need ActionSA, the EFF, and one or two additional partners to govern.

Emfuleni presents a distinct challenge, as the DA won 27 wards from the ANC, including most of Evaton and Sebokeng. With its traditional partner the FF+, the DA needs only four more seats for a majority, which Daily Maverick suggests will almost certainly come from ActionSA. The smaller parties available, including the SACP, PAC, PA, and ATM, are described as less palatable to the DA. The ANC, by contrast, would need to convince nearly every other party to join a coalition with more than ten partners, making it a shaky arrangement. The DA holds three-quarters of the ward seats in Emfuleni, positioning it as the primary anchor for stability in that municipality.