2011 South African municipal elections

2011 South African municipal elections
← 2006 18 May 2011 2016 →
All councillors for all 8 metropolitan municipalities

All councillors for all 226 local municipalities

40% of councillors for all 44 district municipalities
  First party Second party Third party
 
Jacob Zuma 2014 (cropped).jpg
Premier of the Western Cape (8053071289) (cropped).jpg
Mangosuthu Buthelezi, May 2019 (cropped).png
Leader Jacob Zuma Helen Zille Mangosuthu Buthelezi
Party ANC DA IFP
Last election 64.82% 16.24% 7.53%
Popular vote 16,548,970 6,393,890 954,021
Percentage 61.95% 23.94% 3.57%
Swing Decrease 2.87% Increase 7.7% Decrease 3.96%
Two ballot papers from the 2011 South African municipal election in Cape Town. The ballot on the left is for the party-list proportional representation vote for the Cape Town City Council and the ballot on the right is for the election of the local councillor in Ward 59.

Municipal elections were held in South Africa on 18 May 2011,[1] electing new councils for all municipalities in the country. Municipal elections are held every five years,[2] and the previous municipal elections were held in 2006. The first municipal elections following the reorganisation of municipalities took place in December 2000.

Half of the seats (rounded up for odd numbers) in each municipality are elected on the first past the post system in single member wards. The other half of the seats are allocated to restore proportionality as follows:

The total number of seats are allocated using the largest remainder method by using a modified Hare quota. Proportional seats are allocated based on the difference. Overhang seats are theoretically possible. These do not affect the quota but will reduce the number of remainder seats if any. Independent candidates are allowed for in the ward seats, and the proportionality calculations effectively ignore votes for these candidates and are adjusted for seats allocated to them.[3]

  1. ^ "Local Elections on 18 May". BuaNews. 3 March 2011. Archived from the original on 5 March 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  2. ^ Section 159 in Chapter 7 Archived 5 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine of the Constitution of South Africa. A municipal council's term expires after 5 years, but the council continue with its functions until the election of a new council, which must be held within 90 days of the expiry of the council's term.
  3. ^ Schedule 1 to the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, No. 117 of 1998, as amended.