Vote Counting Underway in Critical South Africa Local Elections
Anger over water and power outages drives voters as ANC dominance faces a major test ahead of 2029.
Executive Briefing
South Africans have cast their ballots in a crucial local government election marked by widespread frustration over crumbling infrastructure and high unemployment. As vote counting begins across 257 councils, major cities are bracing for complex coalition governments, further challenging the ruling ANC's historical dominance.
Vote counting is officially underway across South Africa following a massive local government election turnout on Wednesday. Polling stations closed at 9:00 pm after a 14-hour voting day, and the electoral authority expects final results by Sunday. Out of a record 29.2 million registered voters, around 12 million had cast their ballots by late afternoon.
The election, which spans 257 municipal councils, is widely viewed as a critical barometer of the political mood ahead of the 2029 national elections. Decades after the end of apartheid, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) is facing immense backlash over persistent inequality, a crumbling power grid, dry taps, and an unemployment rate exceeding 30 percent.
For many voters, the decision to participate boiled down to severe economic and infrastructural struggles. Moses Mashaba, a 27-year-old street vendor from Soweto, said he voted because "things have been horrible." He added, "Sometimes we don't have water or electricity. There is also a high unemployment rate, which has been frustrating." Conversely, disillusioned youth like 24-year-old Ntando Sithole abstained, citing a lack of visible change and unsafe, unlit streets in his neighborhood.
President Cyril Ramaphosa struck a more optimistic tone after casting his ballot, declaring, "Our democracy is alive." He reiterated the government's commitment to rebuilding local structures to ensure past promises become reality. Phumla Zikhali, a 55-year-old nursing aide, echoed this enduring hope, stating, "My life has improved since we were allowed to vote as black people. Things were tough before then. My vote is for more change."
Political analysts expect "bread and butter issues" to override traditional political loyalties this year. Following the ANC's dip below 50 percent in the 2021 municipal elections and a national vote in 2024 that forced them into a power-sharing government, an outright majority in major urban centers is unlikely. The Democratic Alliance (DA) aims to hold Cape Town and capture Johannesburg, while Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party mounts a strong challenge in Durban, setting the stage for complex coalition negotiations nationwide.
