After suffering its worst election result, what's next for the ANC — and for South Africa?
South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) party has secured under 31% of the vote in the country's local government elections, marking its worst electoral setback to date.
This outcome marks a steep decline for the party that had once led South Africa's liberation struggle and dominated the country's political landscape since the end of apartheid in 1994. Party leaders themselves have described the result as 'catastrophic,' reflecting growing public frustration about the ANC's lack of performance in key areas such as skyrocketing unemployment, poor service delivery, local governance failures and years of graft and corruption.
Voter frustration and despair
Tasnim Essop, a researcher at the Society, Work and Politics Institute (SWOP) at the University of the Witwatersrand, says it is time for the party to undertake serious introspection. She believes the ANC must confront difficult questions about governance, leadership and accountability.
You're talking about issues like water, electricity, housing, public services at the basic municipal level. And those kinds of things have been key issues. And ... research has shown that unemployment is also a big part of what drives people to vote in certain ways
Essop highlights that the outcome reflects a slow erosion of public confidence over a long period. DW correspondent Dianne Hawker-Kalubi reported that many voters expressed 'a lot of frustration, a lot of concern about basic services not being delivered' for years.
Mokhiri Phooko, a Cape Town resident, stated that 'people are losing hope' across the country after over three decades of ANC dominance: 'You promised us jobs, why [are] you not keeping up the end of your bargain right.' She emphasized that 'The unemployment rate went up drastically' in recent years.
Political shift and coalition talks
The ANC has acknowledged that changes are necessary, announcing that its National Executive Committee will convene a special meeting to 'listen to the people, confront its shortcomings and provide leadership.' The party must also prepare for coalition negotiations with rivals, similar to after the 2024 general elections.
The results signal a broader shift in South African politics, with voter support increasingly spread across multiple parties. The Democratic Alliance (DA) strengthened its position in major urban centers, while the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, launched by former President Jacob Zuma in late 2023, performed strongly in KwaZulu-Natal. Smaller civic organizations also recorded notable successes.
Era of changing loyalties
Essop describes a growing sense of 'vote fluidity,' with voters increasingly willing to move their support between parties. While some observers suggest South Africans are moving beyond liberation-era loyalties, Essop cautions: 'I would be cautious to say that liberation politics are dead and gone,' as many parties continue to draw legitimacy from the country's liberation history.
She argues the political shift represents a demand for effective governance rather than a rejection of the liberation narrative itself. For the ANC, the challenge is rebuilding trust, with President Cyril Ramaphosa stating that the results challenge all political parties to perform better for citizens.
While the ANC remains South Africa's largest political party, its setbacks indicate that the era of undisputed loyalty and dominance is over. The party's future will depend on its ability to deliver improved public services and effective change throughout the country.
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