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Residents in parts of Johannesburg are threatening to withdraw support from the African National Congress (ANC, as poor electricity access, sewage problems and weak municipal services shape voter sentiment before South Africa’s November 4 local elections.
In Katlehong, a township on the outskirts of Johannesburg, about 180 households have depended on illegal electricity connections for more than 20 years. Thick cables run across footpaths as residents draw power from neighbouring areas after repeated efforts to secure formal connections failed.
Community leader Lesiba Rankapole says residents have agreed not to support the ANC-led municipality unless it addresses their electricity problem.
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“We have made a collective decision: no electricity, no vote,” the 59-year-old said.
Rankapole acknowledged that the connections are illegal but said families had few alternatives because electricity is essential for daily life and education.
Similar frustration is visible across several South African communities, where residents complain about unreliable water supply, poor waste collection, sewage problems, corruption and deteriorating infrastructure.
The dissatisfaction poses another challenge for the ANC, whose electoral support has steadily declined. The party secured nearly 70 per cent of the national vote in 2004 but fell below 50 per cent in the 2021 municipal elections, receiving 46 per cent.
Its support dropped further in the 2024 national election, when it won just over 40 per cent and entered a coalition government.
The decline has created opportunities for opposition parties, including the Democratic Alliance, ActionSA and former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party, which is contesting local elections for the first time.
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Johannesburg remains one of the biggest political prizes, with more than 4.8 million residents and major economic importance. In Alexandra township, residents point to rubbish, potholes and sewage as signs of years of poor municipal management.
Political analyst Sethulego Matebesi says low turnout could further weaken the ANC and predicts coalition negotiations in several municipalities if no party secures an outright majority.
The November 4 vote could therefore offer an important measure of South Africa’s shifting political loyalties ahead of the 2029 national election.
