South Africa's ANC faces soul-searching after record local election drop

South Africa's governing African National Congress is confronting its steepest electoral decline since the end of apartheid, after dropping below 31 percent of the vote in local government elections. The outcome, described by party figures as catastrophic, highlights an accelerating shift toward coalition governance and fragmented political allegiances.

The sharp decline follows years of mounting public anger over failures in basic municipal services, high unemployment, and recurrent governance scandals. While the ANC retained its position as the largest single party nationwide, the local vote demonstrated that historical loyalty from the anti-apartheid era is no longer enough to guarantee victory.

Opposition groups capitalized on the ruling party's weakness across the country. The Democratic Alliance solidified its footprint across key metropolitan hubs, while former president Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe party achieved strong tallies in KwaZulu-Natal despite its relatively recent establishment in late 2023. Grassroots civic associations and independent local groups also secured seats in municipal councils.

In response to the poor showing, the ANC confirmed that its National Executive Committee would hold a special gathering to assess the loss and outline plans to restore public trust. Alongside internal deliberations, the organization must prepare for complex municipal coalition discussions, which will require deals with longtime political opponents.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that those chosen to serve on local councils must demonstrate they deserve the public's confidence, adding that the results present a challenge for political organizations across the spectrum to improve their service delivery.

Analysts note that the results reflect a long-term erosion of faith rather than a sudden rejection. Tasnim Essop, a researcher at the Society, Work and Politics Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand, told DW that voter choices are increasingly guided by immediate municipal necessities such as running water, power stability, housing, and jobs. Essop characterized the environment as one of vote fluidity, with citizens willing to back rivals while still valuing liberation heritage.

The outcome leaves the ANC facing a difficult political terrain where single-party dominance has largely vanished, forcing South Africa's oldest liberation movement to adapt to shared governance or risk further setbacks in future ballots.