South Africa's ANC slumps to worst election result as DA gains ground

A weaker ANC in a fragmented vote

South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) recorded its worst local election result, with 99% of ballots counted by 8 November. Al Jazeera and El País put the party at about 31%, while AP reported around 30%. The Democratic Alliance (DA) came second with about 25%, and former president Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party took roughly 10%. Hundreds of smaller parties split the remainder, so no rival has overtaken the ANC nationally even as its support has dropped sharply. The vote was held on Wednesday, 4 November, and final results were expected late on 8 November.

The ANC's decline has run for more than a decade. AP reports it won 45% in the 2021 local elections, while NZZ gives 46% for the same vote, and in 2024 it lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in a national election. Al Jazeera puts this year's fall at roughly 14 percentage points from 2021. Turnout rose to 55% from 46% in 2021, according to the electoral commission.

ANC31%

DA25%

MK party10%

ANC

31 %

DA

25 %

MK party

10 %

Data from the article text

Johannesburg and the coalition fight

No party won more than half the vote in the largest cities, and Al Jazeera reports the ANC failed to win an outright majority in any of the eight metropolitan areas, including Johannesburg and Pretoria. In Johannesburg, the DA led the count with about 35% against about 20% for the ANC, a sharp fall from 33% for the ANC in the last local election. Helen Zille, the DA veteran who campaigned on fixing potholes and leaking water pipes, could get a good chance of becoming mayor, depending on the coalition agreements reached. The DA also retained Cape Town and won four municipalities in the Western Cape. In Durban, MK led with just over 40% with just under half the votes counted. In Tshwane, the ActionSA party, which campaigned hard against immigrants, reached about 23% with close to 70% counted, up from 8.6% in 2021.

DA35%

ANC20%

DA

35 %

ANC

20 %

Data from the article text

Why voters turned away

AP reports that voters punished the ANC for failing to deliver basic services such as water and electricity. Al Jazeera cites corruption and unemployment, which it says tops 34%. Thousands of residents in Johannesburg woke on polling day to dry taps. ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula cited rising living costs, especially for middle-class voters, weak campaigning by the party leadership and low turnout among ANC supporters. He also accepted that the ANC must take responsibility for poor services, internal divisions and representatives who are out of touch with voters.

“If anyone has not heard what the people are saying in this election, then you are lost.”

The ANC's response and the next step

Mbalula said the result was catastrophic for the party and that the ANC would not beg for positions in coalition talks. DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis said his party had taken a big step forward in its aim to become South Africa's largest party. The DA said it would open coalition discussions with parties committed to clean and accountable government. Parties have 14 days to negotiate before city councils are formed, and the ANC and DA will need partners or deals with smaller parties to govern in many cities.