Suryaa International Desk: The African National Congress (ANC), which has held power in South Africa for over three decades, has faced a significant defeat in recent local government elections. The party, which led the struggle against apartheid under Nelson Mandela, recorded its lowest vote share in its history. The ANC lost its majority in key metropolitan cities, including Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban.
Analysts attribute the defeat to several factors, including the country's ongoing power crisis, record levels of unemployment, failures in basic public services such as water and sanitation, and corruption allegations against party leaders. Opposition parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA) and other regional and new political coalitions, gained significant seats, ending the ANC's dominance.
As a result of these election outcomes, the ANC is now required to form coalition governments with smaller parties to maintain power in local councils. This decline in public support is the lowest since 1994, sparking internal concern within the party leadership. Political analysts suggest these results serve as a warning ahead of upcoming general elections, noting that the party faces the risk of losing national power if it does not reform its policies.
