Recent local elections in South Africa have delivered a major setback for the African National Congress (ANC), fueling widespread public frustration.
The ANC received 30.76% of the national vote in the November 4 poll, a sharp decline from the 45.59% it secured in 2021. The Democratic Alliance (DA) finished second with 24.64%, while former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party secured 9.76%. This outcome marks the ANC’s weakest performance in a local election and follows the loss of its parliamentary majority in the 2024 general election.
Voter dissatisfaction stems from persistent failures in basic service delivery, including unreliable water and electricity supplies, poor waste collection, and collapsing infrastructure. High unemployment, rampant crime, and systemic corruption allegations have further eroded confidence in the governing party, which has led South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994.
While these results have strengthened opposition parties, no single group has secured outright control of the major urban councils. The DA emerged as the leading party in Johannesburg and Tshwane, while the MK party took first place in eThekwini (which includes Durban). Ultimately, the ANC failed to win an absolute majority in any of the country’s eight metropolitan municipalities.
According to the South African news organization Ground Up, 138 municipal councils are expected to require coalition arrangements—nearly double the number from the 2021 elections. As a result, smaller parties could serve as crucial kingmakers, granting them substantial leverage during talks.
This political shift also carries significant national consequences. Reuters reports that these coalition agreements could reshape the ANC’s internal leadership contest in December 2027—when President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to step down as party leader—as well as broader party strategies ahead of the 2029 national election. This transition intensifies the pressure on a ruling party already fractured by internal divisions.
Ultimately, the election demonstrates that South African voters are increasingly judging political parties by their performance rather than their historical legacies. The immediate challenge for incoming councils is to forge stable partnerships and improve basic service delivery, rather than letting political gridlock delay critical solutions for residents.
