ANC Suffers Heavy Blow in Municipal Elections

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) suffered a major setback in municipal elections, securing just 31 per cent of the vote with 99 per cent of ballots counted.

The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), captured 25 per cent, while former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party finished third with roughly 10 per cent.

The result underscores a steady 15-year decline for the ANC, driven by widespread public frustration over failing basic electricity and water services.

Read More : Five Takeaways from South Africa Municipal Vote

The election results force parties into complex coalition negotiations to establish city governments across the country.

In the economic hub of Johannesburg, the DA led the vote count with approximately 35 per cent compared to the ANC’s 20 per cent, placing DA veteran Helen Zille in a strong position to pursue the mayoral seat.

South Africa's ANC suffers fresh vote blow as support falls to 31% | Daily Sabah — A member of the African National Congress reacts as he looks at a screen inside the Western Cape Provincial Results Operation Centre as they await municipal election results in Cape Town, South Africa, November 6, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Esa Alexander

Acknowledging the heavy defeat, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula labelled the outcome catastrophic and declared that the party must focus on putting its house in order rather than begging for leadership posts.

Parties now have a 14-day window to form municipal coalitions, with the DA announcing it will seek partners committed to anti-corruption efforts, non-racialism, and service delivery.

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Abisoye Adeyiga

Abisoye Adedoyin Adeyiga holds a PhD in Languages and Media Studies and a Master’s in Education (English Language). Trained in digital marketing and investigative journalism, she is passionate about new media’s transformative power. She enjoys reading, traveling, and meaningful conversations.