South Africa held highly competitive local elections that presented a critical test for the African National Congress, the nation’s dominant political party for over three decades. The voting determined leadership of nearly 300 municipalities responsible for essential services including water, electricity and waste management. The ANC faced significant headwinds entering the election, having experienced a sharp decline in public support over recent years. The party secured 70% of votes during its 2004 electoral peak but saw that support drop to 40% in the most recent national election, marking the first time since 1994 that it failed to maintain a parliamentary majority.
Citizens and analysts widely attributed the ANC’s declining support to longstanding grievances regarding corruption, elevated unemployment rates and rising crime. Public sentiment also reflected frustration with poor governance and inadequate delivery of basic services in municipalities across the country. President Cyril Ramaphosa rejected characterizations of the party’s trajectory as a downward spiral, expressing confidence in improved electoral performance.
Visits to townships including Alexandra, located northeast of Johannesburg, revealed the service delivery challenges affecting residents nationwide. Residents reported persistent issues with water access, electricity supply and waste management. Similar conditions existed in other areas such as Soweto and across Gauteng province, where infrastructure neglect and poor sanitation were evident. An auditor-general report covering 2024 and 2025 found that only 39 of 257 municipalities achieved the highest audit ranking, with Johannesburg specifically requiring ongoing attention due to severe financial difficulties.
Polling suggested the ANC would experience historic losses, with one Ipsos survey indicating support of 30%, down from 46% in the previous local elections held in 2021. The same polling showed modest gains for the opposition Democratic Alliance, projected to reach 25% support compared to 22% previously. Political analysts characterized the elections as a definitive assessment of the ANC’s capacity to govern effectively. Over 500 political parties competed in the elections across the country’s eight major metropolitan areas and numerous municipalities.
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