South Africa's ANC battered by local election losses ahead of coalition talks
The party won 31% of votes and lost outright majorities in major metros, forcing negotiations with rivals and smaller parties.
- With 99% of votes counted on Sunday, South Africa's African National Congress secured 31% nationally against 25% for the Democratic Alliance , representing a drop of roughly 14 percentage points from its 2021 local elections performance.
- The ANC's support has steadily eroded over the past 15 years due to failures in basic services like water and electricity. Voters grew increasingly frustrated with persistent corruption and the party's failure to tackle unemployment.
- In Johannesburg, the Democratic Alliance led with about 35% of votes compared to 20% for the ANC, positioning mayoral candidate Helen Zille to potentially lead South Africa's commercial hub depending on coalition agreements.
- Parties have 14 days to negotiate coalition agreements before city councils are formed. ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula called the result "catastrophic," stating the party must "put our house in order" rather than beg for positions.
- Because no party won more than 50% of votes in major cities, forming majority municipal governments requires teaming up with smaller parties. Former President Jacob Zuma's party holds about 10% of the vote, fragmenting opposition support.
5 Articles
5 Articles
The African National Congress (ANC) has long admitted itself in the security of not only ruling the state, but embodying it. The local elections now show that these times are over.
After three decades of political dominance, South Africa's ANC is losing massive support. Maraud infrastructure, corruption and an economic policy that continues to divide people according to skin color shape the balance of the former liberation movement. In the municipal elections, a party that wants to abolish the controversial Black Economic Empowerment is now gaining ground. But the former coalition partners of the ANC could prevent a politi…
South Africa's ANC battered by local election losses ahead of coalition talks
South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) was dealt a stinging blow in last week's municipal elections, near-complete results showed on Sunday, weakening its hand in the coalition talks that will follow to form city governments.
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