ANC Faces Voter Wrath as South Africa's Local Elections Test 30-Year Grip
South Africans voted Wednesday in local elections seen as the toughest test yet for the African National Congress (ANC), which has governed since the end of apartheid in 1994. More than 29 million voters were registered across roughly 23,700 polling stations, with results expected to show whether the party's support continues to fall.
JOHANNESBURG — South Africans lined up at polling stations on Wednesday in local government elections widely seen as a crucial test for the ruling African National Congress (ANC), the party that led the country out of white minority rule and has held power for three decades [279301][279331][275230]. More than 29 million voters were registered across roughly 23,700 polling stations nationwide, and official results were expected in the coming days [279372].
The ANC, which has governed since the end of apartheid in 1994, faces its toughest challenge yet, with voters frustrated by poor public services, including unreliable electricity and water [275230][278874]. Many said the question was not whether the ruling party would be punished at the ballot box, but by how much, as they lined up on streets filled with potholes and bordered by piles of garbage [279620].
Unemployment, crime, water shortages, and basic service delivery were key concerns for voters [279346]. Failing public services, corruption, and high crime rates have eroded public trust, and the ANC may lose further ground as voters express their discontent [278676][278372].
Early signs showed trouble for the ANC in both cities and rural areas, while opposition groups, including ActionSA and the Democratic Alliance (DA), showed growth [280122]. In eThekwini, the MK Party was positioning itself to become the dominant force, according to recent polls, directly challenging the ANC's long-standing control over the region [275238]. Major cities may now require coalition governments, where parties must share power, because no single party is likely to win a majority [275230].
President Cyril Ramaphosa cast his vote among the millions taking part [279335]. Parties closely watched the first results at the national Results Operations Centre (ROC) in Midrand as the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) released early vote counts [280109]. The results will offer a measure of the national mood before the next national polls and will show whether the ANC can still command the trust of South Africans — or whether the era of one-party dominance is ending [279335][275230].