South Africa Ruling Party Faces Coalition Negotiations After Historic Election Setback

The African National Congress secured roughly 30 percent of the vote in South Africa’s municipal elections held last week, forcing the country’s long-dominant party into difficult coalition negotiations to govern major cities.

With 99 percent of ballots counted, the party of President Cyril Ramaphosa finished ahead of the Democratic Alliance, which received approximately 25 percent of the national vote.

The result marks a significant decline for the organization that led the country out of apartheid, as voters expressed frustration over persistent unemployment, corruption and failing public infrastructure.

“This has been a very catastrophic outcome for the ANC,” said Fikile Mbalula, the party’s secretary-general.

Mbalula acknowledged that the party had failed to provide basic services, noting that in many communities, refuse has not been collected and roads have not been maintained.

“We have been weighed in the balance, and where we have been found wanting we dare not quarrel with the scale,” Mbalula said.

The former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party secured approximately 10 percent of the vote, placing it in third position among hundreds of parties contesting the municipal seats.

More than half of the country’s 213 municipal councils failed to produce an outright majority for any party, according to the Electoral Commission of South Africa.

“The people have spoken. Their verdict must be respected. Their concerns must be heard and their expectations must now be met,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In Johannesburg, the Democratic Alliance led the count with about 35 percent of the vote, potentially positioning veteran politician Helen Zille to seek the mayoralty through coalition agreements.

The Electoral Commission reported that voter turnout reached 52 percent, an increase of six percentage points compared to the 2021 municipal elections.

Commission chairperson Mosotho Moepya said that voting will be repeated in one municipality after supporters destroyed ballot papers during a disturbance at a polling station.

Political parties have 14 days to finalize coalition arrangements before city councils are required to hold their inaugural meetings to elect mayors and other municipal officials.