South Africans prepare to vote in key local elections testing ruling ANC

South Africans are preparing to vote in crucial local government elections on November 4, which will determine municipal council control in major cities and provide a key indicator for the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The elections follow the ANC's loss of its parliamentary majority in 2024 and the formation of a national unity government with the Democratic Alliance and smaller parties.

Voters will select local councilors, who will subsequently choose mayors responsible for delivering public services like water, sanitation, and waste collection. Although the vote centers on municipal administration, political campaigns across the board have been heavily influenced by national concerns, including economic distress, high crime rates, and increasing illegal immigration.

One political analyst notes that voters primarily assess their immediate situation, but also consider the national image of each party when voting. In Johannesburg, the commercial capital with nearly 5 million residents, the mayoral race is particularly pivotal. The ANC-led coalition has governed the city for a decade, rotating mayors nine times. Deteriorating infrastructure, financial mismanagement, and widespread decay have contributed to administrative instability in Johannesburg.

The Democratic Alliance has nominated 75-year-old political veteran Helen Zille, while the Economic Freedom Fighters has chosen Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, a former United Nations special rapporteur on the right to health. ActionSA is fielding Herman Mashaba, who previously served as mayor and resigned in 2019. The water infrastructure failures have become a central voter grievance, with severe outages reported in both informal settlements and affluent suburbs.

Public health crises have also emerged in areas like Pretoria and the Eastern Cape, where poor water quality has led to gastrointestinal illnesses and student medical treatment. Illegal immigration debates have escalated, with opposition parties advocating for stricter border enforcement. President Cyril Ramaphosa has outlined a municipal reform agenda in a presidential address, emphasizing the importance of local government structures in the upcoming elections.