South Africa’s ANC is humbled by its worst election results as it continues its decline

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) party suffered its worst election results ever on Sunday and marked a new low in its declining popularity, as voters criticized it for failing to deliver basic services like water and electricity in towns and cities. The ANC had received approximately 30% of the vote in Wednesday's local government elections, with 99% of ballots counted, according to the Independent Electoral Commission.

The final results are expected late on Sunday. The Democratic Alliance (DA), the main opposition party, received around 25% of the votes in the near-complete count. This outcome is seen as a "very catastrophic" for the ANC, which has experienced a decline in popularity for over a decade. In the 2021 local elections, the ANC had received 45% support, its lowest since 1994, when it commanded 70% of the vote.

The party now faces the possibility of losing its position as the largest party, with the DA likely to take the lead in major cities like Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Ekurhuleni.