ANC suffers worst election result ever in South Africa local polls

South Africa's ruling African National Congress recorded its worst electoral performance in municipal elections, according to reports by DW and Al Jazeera. DW reported that the party received less than 31 percent of the national vote in Wednesday's polls, while Al Jazeera put the party's share at just over 30 percent. TradingView reported that official final results gave the party 30.76 percent. Al Jazeera reported that its main rival, the Democratic Alliance, won around 25 percent of the vote, while DW reported the Democratic Alliance achieved just under 25 percent. [1][2][10]

DW reported that voters blamed the African National Congress for water and electricity shortages across the country. According to DW, the South African Electoral Commission confirmed on Saturday that the ruling party lost its majority in six out of eight metropolitan regions. Al Jazeera reported that the vote share represents a fall of roughly 14 percentage points compared to the party's results in the 2021 local elections. Al Jazeera also reported that former President Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe party secured about 10 percent of the total vote. [1][2]

South Africa is the southernmost country on the African continent, with a population exceeding 63 million people. Structural economic challenges in the country include official unemployment over 33 percent, high levels of violent crime, and widespread power outages known as load shedding caused by mismanagement at state utility Eskom. As FTMQ News reported earlier, early results had indicated historic losses that would force the ruling party into coalition negotiations to form local governments in major cities. [12][13][14]

Al Jazeera reported that the historic setback leaves the African National Congress in a weak position ahead of upcoming coalition talks to establish city governments across South Africa. [2]