South Africa: South Africa's ANC Hit by Worst-Ever Performance in Local Elections
[DW] The African National Congress, the party of late Nobel Prize winner Nelson Mandela, slumped to its worst-ever result in South Africa's municipal election. The voters blame the ANC for water and electricity shortages.
The African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's ruling party, suffered its worst performance in local elections. The party secured less than 31% of the vote, falling short of its previous bests. Their closest competitor, the Democratic Alliance (DA), claimed nearly 25% of the votes. The ANC lost its majority in six out of eight metropolitan regions.
This outcome has left the party in turmoil as they prepare for coalition negotiations to form municipal governments. ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula acknowledged the "catastrophic" nature of the results, emphasizing the need to rebuild public trust. The party has been struggling with high unemployment, crime, and corruption, issues that voters have increasingly criticized.
Despite their historical significance in ending apartheid and leading South Africa to democracy, the ANC has seen a decline in performance in recent elections. The Democratic Alliance is poised to maintain control in cities like Cape Town, Pretoria, and Johannesburg, potentially forming coalitions without the ANC. Analysts predict this could be a bellwether for voter sentiment ahead of the 2029 general elections.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
