ANC vote share falls to 32 percent in South African local polls
Early counts show the ruling party losing ground in major cities as the Democratic Alliance gains support.
By Aiko Soto ·
The African National Congress secured approximately 32 percent of the vote in South Africa’s municipal elections, according to data released by the election commission late Thursday. The results were based on more than 60 percent of counted ballots. This figure represents a sharp drop in support for the ruling party in key urban centers.
The Democratic Alliance emerged as the second strongest party with 25 percent of the counted votes. The uMkhonto weSizwe party, led by former President Jacob Zuma, placed third with 8.5 percent. This share for the breakaway group was lower than recent opinion polls had indicated.
Approximately 15.9 million of the 29.2 million registered voters cast ballots, resulting in an estimated turnout of 54.5 percent. This marks an increase from the 46 percent turnout recorded during the 2021 local elections, which were held during the pandemic.
The ANC has historically performed worse in municipal contests than in national ones. In 2004, the party commanded nearly 70 percent of the national vote. By the 2021 municipal elections, its share had fallen below 50 percent for the first time, settling at 46 percent. In the 2024 national elections, the ANC received just over 40 percent of the vote, leading to a unity government with nine other parties.
Critics have cited failing water supplies, persistent power cuts, and crumbling public services as evidence of municipal mismanagement under President Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership. The party has also faced corruption allegations and the erosion of its support base by splinter parties. Analysts view this week’s local ballot results as an indicator of voter sentiment ahead of the next general election in 2029.
In the eastern port city of Durban, projections from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research placed support for the MK party at 32 percent, falling short of an outright majority. In Cape Town, the Democratic Alliance is forecast to retain control with 56 percent of the vote. Party leader Geordin Hill-Lewis declared victory for his side following the projections.
In Johannesburg, the Democratic Alliance is leading with 34 percent of the vote. Projections noted that the party ran a campaign spearheaded by its former leader, Helen Zille. With outright majorities far from assured in several major cities, parties will likely engage in bargaining to assemble governing alliances. Final results are expected on Sunday.
