South African voters punish ANC with worst-ever result
The party that led the struggle against apartheid is no longer the force it was more than three decades ago.
The African National Congress (ANC) has endured its most dismal performance in local elections, potentially altering the balance of power within South Africa's coalition government. Once a symbol of post-apartheid governance, the ANC secured 31% of the nationwide vote, narrowly ahead of the historically white-led Democratic Alliance (DA), which garnered 25%.
This decline follows the party's loss of its national parliamentary majority in 2024, signaling a shifting political landscape. The ANC's diminished influence raises questions about its role in shaping economic policy as it prepares to select a new leader next year. Furthermore, the electoral outcomes suggest that key cities, crucial engines of growth in Africa's largest economy, will be governed by coalitions, rather than a single dominant party.
The DA emerged as the largest party in three metropolitan municipalities within Gauteng, the economic heartland, including Johannesburg, potentially enhancing its negotiating leverage nationally and in municipal government formations where no party holds a majority. However, some experts caution that unstable coalitions with uncertain leadership may prove ineffective in delivering stable governance. This shift underscores the complexities of South Africa's evolving political dynamics.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
