South Africa: ANC hits historic low with just 30% of the vote

The African National Congress (ANC), in power in South Africa since 1994, won around 30% of the vote in municipal elections after 90% of ballots had been counted. The party has been losing support steadily since 2004 and had already fallen short of an absolute majority in the 2024 national elections, winning 40%. The result comes ahead of the ANC congress scheduled for next year, where Cyril Ramaphosa’s successor will be chosen; he is unable to seek another term. Factors cited for the decline include the rise of Jacob Zuma’s breakaway MKP and failures in basic public services, especially water provision and road conditions.