ANC faces bruising defeat as support falls below a third
South Africa’s African National Congress had 31.8% of the national vote after more than 80% of ballots were counted in Wednesday’s local elections. The result…
South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) had 31.8% of the national vote after more than 80% of ballots were counted in Wednesday’s local elections, putting the party almost 14 percentage points below its 2021 result. The decline could reshape who governs major cities as parties begin coalition talks.
The once-dominant party, which has led national governments since the end of apartheid in 1994, was also on course to lose its position as the largest party in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Final results are expected on Sunday.
The count gives the centre-right Democratic Alliance (DA) 24.1% nationally and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party 9.3%. Turnout was estimated at 54.5% of registered voters, up from 46% in the previous local elections.
Where are the parties leading?
The DA was ahead in Johannesburg, while MK led in eThekwini, the municipality that includes Durban. Those positions leave the composition of local governments uncertain, with no clear outcome in several major cities as votes are counted.
In Johannesburg, the country’s commercial capital and biggest city, the DA had 40% with just over half the votes counted. The ANC stood at 17.5%, followed by ActionSA on 15.5%. The DA’s campaign was led by Helen Zille, while ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has pledged not to work with her.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research projected the DA would finish with 34% in Johannesburg, the ANC with 20% and ActionSA with 16.8%. Many of the ANC’s township strongholds had yet to report full results.
In eThekwini, MK had 41% with half the votes counted. Other parties could still form a coalition to keep the party out of power. The DA was projected to retain its majority in Cape Town, despite growing middle-class anger over rising housing costs.
The city results matter to residents because local governments oversee basic services. Johannesburg voters have faced regular water and power cuts, uncollected rubbish and potholes. The municipality has acknowledged a 220bn rand (£9.9bn) infrastructure spending backlog, while shifting coalitions have contributed to 10 mayoral changes in the last decade.
Why are coalition talks central?
With the final shape of several city councils unresolved, parties will need to negotiate alliances to govern. Coalitions in Gauteng’s three city municipalities are often negotiated together, and the DA was leading in all three.
South African voters choose a local councillor and a party, with seats allocated through proportional representation. Councillors then have two weeks to elect mayors and form municipal governments.
The results reflect a period of mounting pressure on the ANC. High unemployment, crime, corruption and poor local service delivery have all contributed to voters turning away from the party, while the growing presence of smaller parties has fragmented support.
For the ANC, the immediate challenge is no longer only its national vote share. Losing ground in provincial centers and major municipalities could limit its ability to lead local governments and force it into negotiations with parties that have gained support.
In Johannesburg, the DA’s lead stood at 40% with just over half of the votes counted.
