South Africa Votes in Local Polls Expected to Weaken ANC

South Africans cast their ballots in municipal elections on Wednesday, with widespread anger over corruption, high crime, and collapsing public services threatening to deal a severe blow to the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

Opinion polls indicate that the party of Nelson Mandela could fall below 40 per cent of the vote—continuing its decline after dropping below 50 per cent for the first time during the 2021 municipal contests.

With no single opposition group poised to win an outright national majority, many major cities face unstable coalition governments, which critics blame for compounding failures in water and electricity delivery.

The election results will establish the political landscape for the 2029 national election and influence the internal ANC succession battle as President Cyril Ramaphosa nears the end of his term as party leader in 2027.

Ramaphosa acknowledged that municipal failures have eroded public trust in democratic governance, but he expressed confidence that the party could regain voter support during this vote.

Control of Johannesburg remains the top prize of the election.

Democratic Alliance candidate Helen Zille ran an energetic mayoral campaign and projects to win the most votes while likely falling short of an absolute majority.

Voters will also closely monitor Tshwane, which includes the capital city of Pretoria, and eThekwini, where former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party holds strong support.

Meanwhile, the DA remains heavily favoured to keep control of Cape Town.

Local governance remains a major vulnerability for the ANC, which entered a national coalition with the DA and smaller parties after losing its parliamentary majority in 2024.

While historical loyalty for ending apartheid lingers, voters increasingly express frustration over chronic power outages, water shortages, high unemployment, and safety concerns.

Polling places operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with officials expecting to announce final results on Sunday.