World

ANC Loses Ground in Local Elections, DA Gains Lead

By AFP and Reuters

With 99 percent of votes counted, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC) secured 31 percent of the national vote, down about 14 percentage points from its 2021 local elections performance. The Democratic Alliance (DA) received 25 percent, while former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party captured roughly 10 percent, placing it third. Remaining votes were divided among numerous smaller parties. Final results are expected at 6pm (16:00 GMT) on Sunday.

The ANC remains the largest party but its support has eroded amid voter frustration over corruption and persistent unemployment, which exceeds 34 percent more than three decades after apartheid ended. Failures in basic services such as water and electricity have also contributed to the decline in vote share over the past 15 years. The party did not win an outright majority in any of the eight major metro areas, including Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Because no party achieved more than 50 percent in many cities, including Johannesburg, the ANC and DA must negotiate with each other or with smaller parties to form municipal governments. Parties have 14 days to negotiate before city councils are formed.

ANC Secretary‑General Fikile Mbalula described the result as "catastrophic" but said the party would not seek positions by begging. "When the people tell us we have fallen short, … the honest answer is not to argue with them but to go home and put our house in order," Mbalula said on Saturday.

In Johannesburg, the DA led the count with about 35 percent of the votes, compared with 20 percent for the ANC. This could give DA veteran Helen Zille, who campaigned on fixing potholes and leaking water pipes, a strong chance of becoming mayor, depending on coalition agreements. The DA said it would initiate coalition discussions with "political parties that share a commitment to clean and accountable government, rooting out corruption, service delivery for all, the rule of law, and non‑racialism."