South Africans queued from early on Wednesday to vote in municipal elections, with anger over corruption, crime and failing public services threatening to inflict fresh losses on the African National Congress.
The party of Nelson Mandela fell below 50% support for the first time in municipal elections in 2021 and could drop below 40% this time, according to opinion polls.
With no other party large enough to take its place, many cities in South Africa are heading for unstable coalition governments that have been partly blamed for failing to deliver basic services, including water and electricity.
“I have seen the challenges that we face at local government level, but we are determined to rebuild our local government structure,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said after voting in Johannesburg.
Polls will close at 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) and results are expected to be announced on Sunday.
Unreliable water and electricity supplies, unemployment, crime and a lack of affordable housing ranked among voters’ biggest concerns ahead of the election.
“I am hoping things will improve this time, especially where we live. What we need most is better service delivery,” said Themba Ntuli, a 47-year-old security guard.
Others, including Sabelo Zulu, a 37-year-old engineer, worry that a tight result could leave many municipalities with hung councils and unstable coalition governments.
The outcome will help shape the political landscape ahead of the 2029 national election and could influence the succession battle within the ANC as Ramaphosa nears the end of his term as party leader in 2027.
JOHANNESBURG IS THE BIGGEST PRIZE
Control of Johannesburg, South Africa’s commercial hub, will be the largest prize and is still up for grabs after an energetic campaign for mayor by Democratic Alliance candidate Helen Zille, who opinion polls project will win the most votes but fall short of a majority.
The city has had seven mayors since 2021 as successive coalition governments collapsed, while residents sometimes endure weeks without water or electricity and motorists contend with broken traffic lights and pothole-riddled roads.
Other metro areas to watch include Tshwane, home to the administrative capital Pretoria, and eThekwini, which includes the port city of Durban and where former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party is strong.
The DA is heavily favoured to retain control of Cape Town.
Local governance has been a weak point for the ANC, which was forced into a coalition with the DA and smaller parties after it lost its national majority in 2024.
Although the party still enjoys loyalty from some voters due to its role in ending apartheid, growing numbers of South Africans are fed up with problems such as power cuts and water shortages — even in Johannesburg. High unemployment and poor public safety are also major concerns.
