Historic defeat: ANC collapses in local elections in South Africa

The long-dominant African National Congress (ANC) suffered a historic defeat in local elections in South Africa. In many municipalities, the party of the late national hero Nelson Mandela clearly missed a majority and lost city and local councils that it had dominated for decades.

As the electoral commission announced, the ANC received only 30.76 percent of the vote, the worst election result in its history. The party remained the strongest force, but its weak performance means that complicated negotiations to form multi-party coalitions are now pending in several major cities in South Africa.

“You can’t sugarcoat the result”

This result cannot and will not be glossed over, according to an initial statement from the ANC. Secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said people cannot be asked to trust the ANC based on its history alone. "Our history gives us the responsibility to serve, it does not give us the right to rule. We have been humiliated and asked to do better, to reach out even more," said Mbalula.

Many voters blame the ANC for the country's grievances, the dilapidated infrastructure, the power outages, the water crisis and rampant corruption, as the party has largely determined South African politics since the end of apartheid.

DA benefits

The economically liberal Democratic Alliance (DA) in particular has benefited from the criticism. It has around 25 percent nationwide and is the strongest political force in several large cities. Party leader Gordon Hill-Lewis sees his party moving beyond the traditional white electorate. "For me, the most exciting result of this election is that we broke a glass ceiling," he said.

In Johannesburg, the German-born DA politician Helen Zille wants to become mayor. For them it is clear: the ANC brought the crash on itself. "The ANC in Johannesburg collapsed for a very simple reason, because it brought the city down, and I'm glad that our democracy has now developed to the point where voters can say we have to vote for change," she explains.

Mood test for parliamentary elections

The Economic Freedom Fighters are also among the losers. With around six percent, the left-wing populists led by Julius Malema came in fourth place, just behind the MK party of former President Jacob Zuma, which has become the strongest force in the port city of Durban but also needs partners there.

The elections were seen as a test of sentiment before the parliamentary elections in 2029. However, the era of absolute ANC majorities is now likely to be over - and, as at the national level, the era of coalitions has also begun in the municipalities.

With information from Stephan Ueberbach, ARD Studio Johannesburg