South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) won 30.76% of the vote in the country’s municipal elections, its worst result on record, leaving parties to negotiate control of councils.
Final results announced on Sunday, November 8, put the Democratic Alliance (DA) in second place with 24.64% of the vote. The uMkhonto weSizwe Party followed with 9.76%. The ANC remained the largest party nationally.
Its share of the vote did not give it outright control in most of the country’s 213 municipalities. The DA won 12 municipalities outright. The ANC secured outright control in 53, according to reported results.
No party held a majority in many councils, so talks are expected to shape local governments and who becomes mayor. The talks will test how far parties with different priorities can work together to run cities and provide services. The outcome continues the ANC’s decline in elections.
In 2024, the party lost its majority in the national parliament for the first time since the end of apartheid. The local results now put the party’s ability to keep its influence in key urban areas to a new test.