ANC Hits Historic Low in South Africa Local Elections, Leaving 69 Councils Hung
The ANC faces a historic defeat in South Africa’s 2026 local elections, losing ground to the DA and ActionSA amid service delivery crises.
POLICY WIRE — Johannesburg, South Africa — The African National Congress (ANC) has suffered a significant blow following last week’s municipal elections, leaving the party in a vulnerable position as it heads into coalition negotiations for city governments.
These outcomes highlight the continued downward trajectory of the ANC in local government contests, a trend mirroring rising public frustration with persistent service delivery failures, including water scarcity, electrical outages, and decaying municipal infrastructure.
Preliminary tallies indicated a sharp drop in support for the long-dominant party, which managed to maintain only a slim advantage over its primary challenger, the Democratic Alliance.
Near-final data confirms that the ANC is recording its lowest-ever percentage of the vote, as voters increasingly penalize the organization for inadequate management of essential services like water and power.
The 2026 local government vote has resulted in 69 out of 100 council seats remaining undecided, a scenario that diminishes the ANC’s standing while simultaneously boosting the leverage of ActionSA in upcoming coalition discussions.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
