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South Africans Vote in Municipal Elections as ANC Faces Fresh Losses
Polls opened at 7 a.m. local time on Wednesday, with long queues from sunrise. The ANC, below 50 percent for the first time in 2021, could drop below 40 percent, polls suggest.
South Africans voted in municipal elections on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time (0500 to 1900 GMT). Results are expected to be announced on Sunday.
Reuters reported long queues from sunrise, including at the Lawley informal settlement south of Johannesburg, as voters turned out in large numbers.
The African National Congress fell below 50 percent for the first time in municipal elections in 2021 and could drop below 40 percent this time, according to opinion polls cited by Reuters. Voters' biggest concerns were unreliable water and electricity, unemployment, crime and a lack of affordable housing.
Control of Johannesburg is the biggest prize. Democratic Alliance mayoral candidate Helen Zille was projected to win the most votes but fall short of a majority, which would leave coalition talks to decide who governs the city.
The outcome shapes the landscape ahead of the 2029 national election and the ANC succession, as President Cyril Ramaphosa nears the end of his term as party leader in 2027.
Reporting: Reuters
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