In brief
South African voters went to the polls on Wednesday, fueling fears that the once-dominant ANC may see its support drop below 40%. Predicted gains for the Democratic Alliance in Johannesburg and other metros could set the stage for a fragmented national political landscape in upcoming elections. President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged municipal failures but sees the election as an opportunity to regain confidence.
South Africans went to the polls on Wednesday in municipal elections that spanned cities across the country, including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town. Residents in Kliptown, a part of Soweto, lined up in front of election posters as they prepared to cast ballots for the first time since the ANC lost its national majority in 2024.
Early voting data suggest the African National Congress (ANC) could record its lowest vote share since the 2021 municipal elections, falling to less than 40 percent for the first time. That would be a historic dip for a party that had controlled the city councils in most of the country for decades.
Because no single party is expected to win a majority in many major metropolitans, analysts predict that coalition governments will become the norm. The ANC will need to work with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and smaller parties to run city councils—a partnership that has already been strained by the ANC’s failure to deliver reliable water, electricity and public safety services.
In Johannesburg, the DA’s campaign has focused on restoring municipal management. Helen Zille, the party’s mayoral candidate, is projected to win the most votes but is expected to fall short of an outright majority, making coalitions inevitable even in this commercial hub.
Other metropolitans under scrutiny include Tshwane, where the capital city of Pretoria is located, eThekwini, which surrounds the port city of Durban and has strong support for Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party, and Cape Town, where the DA is heavily favoured to maintain control.
"Municipal failures have contributed to declining public trust and confidence in democratic governance," said President Cyril Ramaphosa. He has acknowledged that local governments have struggled, but he added, "This election is an opportunity to turn this around."
The outcome of these polls will set the stage for the next national election in 2029 and could influence the succession race within the ANC as President Ramaphosa approaches the end of his term as party leader in 2027.
Polls will open at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and close at 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) on the election day, with results expected to be announced on Sunday. The votes taken in these municipal elections will be a barometer of public sentiment ahead of the launch of the ANC’s 2029 campaign, as the party seeks to regain lost ground and react to widespread demands for reforms in service delivery and corruption combatting.
