DA claims historic breakthrough as black voter support tops one million

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it has secured more than one million votes from black South Africans for the first time in its history, claiming it has overtaken the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in support among black voters in the 2026 local government elections.

DA Federal Council first deputy chairperson Ashor Sarupen announced the figures on Thursday at the Results Operations Centre at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

“For the first time in our history, more than one million black South Africans voted for the DA,” Sarupen said.

He added that the party’s projections indicated it had received more votes from black South Africans than the EFF, describing the development as evidence that the DA was becoming a mainstream political force across different communities.

[WATCH] “We are about to overtake the EFF…” DA’s Ashor Sarupen says the party predicts a 10% gain in votes in Cape Town and Gauteng townships and some rural areas. #LGE2026 https://t.co/vJ1qYSgH5w

Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) November 5, 2026

However, the figures are based on the party’s internal election modelling and parallel vote tabulation system, with the final results still subject to certification by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

Sarupen said the party had made inroads into townships and traditionally ANC-dominated communities, forecasting support of approximately 15% in Gauteng townships and 10% in Cape Town townships, alongside gains in rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

A 2025 poll by the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) found that DA support among black registered voters had increased from 5% to 18%, highlighting the potential for the party to expand beyond its traditional support base.

DA’s first Election Results projection: DA attains over 1-million votes from Black South Africans, overtaking EFF

By Ashor Sarupen
DA Federal Council Chairperson

This morning I made the DA’s first results projection, from the floor of the IEC National Results Operation Centre.

The DA’s election data modelling indicates that, for the first time in our history, more than one million black South Africans will have voted for the Democratic Alliance, in this Local Government Election of 2026.

Our projections also indicate that the DA will have received more votes from black South Africans than the EFF, making us a mainstream party in every community, whether you are black, white, coloured or Indian.

These are projections, and we await the final certified results.

But the significance of this potential milestone goes far beyond the numbers.

For too long, South African politics has been defined by the assumption that the colour of your skin determines the party you vote for.

The DA has always believed that South Africa can be different, that we can build a party for all, that works for all, and that delivers for all.

Early results suggest that this vision is finding support across more communities than ever before.

It is a reminder that political parties do not have to rely on racial division, resentment or hatred to build support. South Africans can find common cause in the things that unite us: the desire for good government, opportunity, dignity and a better future for all South Africans.

And perhaps the most remarkable thing about this election is what it means for the elections still to come.

We are moving towards a South Africa in which voting for the DA, regardless of the colour of your skin or the community in which you live, is no longer regarded as an unusual political choice.

A South Africa in which voting for the a party for all South Africans, whether you are black, white, coloured or Indian, is unremarkable, is, in itself, remarkable.

Because it means that the old racial boundaries of our politics are beginning to lose their hold.

It would mean that a country for all is not simply an aspiration, but something South Africans are choosing to build together.

And it would mean that the future of our politics is no longer determined by the divisions of our past.

Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) November 5, 2026

Meanwhile, Reuters reported ahead of the elections that South Africa’s electorate was becoming increasingly fragmented, with voters moving away from established political loyalties amid dissatisfaction with service delivery, unemployment and political instability.

The DA’s latest claim, if confirmed by the final results, could mark a significant development in the country’s opposition politics and its efforts to attract support across racial and historical political divides.

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Picture: @Our_DA / X

Source: African Insider / Betha Madhomu