South Africans to vote in key local elections seen as a tough test for ruling ANC

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africans are preparing to vote in local government elections that will determine control of the country’s largest cities and test whether the African National Congress continues its electoral decline.

Voters on Wednesday will elect councilors, who will then choose mayors to oversee municipal services, including water, sanitation and rubbish collection .

But politicians campaigning this year have also faced questions about national issues, including illegal immigration, high unemployment and crime.

“I think for most voters, they assess the situation of where they are, that’s their immediate reaction. But for a party, the image that you have at national level might make your candidate at local level be overlooked,” said Sandile Mnguni, a political analyst at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

The ANC lost its parliamentary majority in 2024 and formed a unity government with the Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-largest party, and smaller parties.

In the last municipal elections in 2021, the ANC lost control of several major cities. It governs others through coalitions.

Home to nearly 5 million people and most of South Africa’s corporate headquarters, Johannesburg is a key economic hub and a major prize for competing parties.

The city, which is currently governed by a fragile ANC-led coalition, has had nine mayors in 10 years. Political instability has been widely blamed for deteriorating infrastructure, financial mismanagement and the broader decline of the “city of gold.”

Burst water pipes, cracked roads, hijacked buildings , broken traffic lights, unreliable electricity and piles of rubbish have become common sights in parts of the city.

Several parties have fielded high-profile mayoral candidates and mounted extensive campaigns.

The DA, which is South Africa’s second-largest party, has nominated 75-year-old political veteran Helen Zille. Her campaign has included snorkeling in a large, water-filled trench , spinning a modified BMW and DJing at a local club to rally support.

“Well, the big thing is, the ANC is certainly collapsing, it is in free fall, and suddenly we don’t have a competitor anymore,” Zille told The Associated Press at a campaign event near Alexandra township, northeast of Johannesburg.

The Economic Freedom Fighters have turned to Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, who recently completed a six-year term as the United Nations special rapporteur on the right to health.

Herman Mashaba, the opposition ActionSA’s candidate, is seeking another term as mayor of Johannesburg after resigning in 2019 when he left the DA.

Politicians campaigning across South Africa have faced complaints about a water crisis affecting impoverished townships and affluent suburbs alike.

At an election debate in the capital, Pretoria, politicians across party lines faced blame after more than 500 people were treated for stomach illnesses last week after drinking contaminated water. All major parties in the city have participated in its successive coalition governments since 2016.

“It is interesting to hear them (political parties) promising to solve the water problem, but it has been there when all of them were in power,” said Lesego Moshate, a Mamelodi resident who attended a town hall debate featuring mayoral candidates last week.

About 600 miles (966 kilometers) away in the Eastern Cape, ANC provincial leader Oscar Mabuyane faced similar complaints on the campaign trail. Residents blamed his party for inadequate drainage, water leaks, blocked sewers and a poor response to flooding.

Mabuyane recently appointed a team to investigate whether an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness was linked to poor water quality in parts of the province. More than 110 students at a local university required medical treatment.

“These are everyday issues that affect families and require focused attention. Our campaign is rooted in the people, listening to their concerns, engaging directly and taking forward the issues they raise,” Mabuyane said.

Protests against illegal immigration have swept South Africa in recent months, making the issue a prominent election talking point.

More than 500 soldiers have been deployed to KwaZulu-Natal province, where violence against foreign-owned businesses and foreign nationals has been reported. More than 178,000 foreign nationals have reportedly left South Africa in recent months.

Opposition parties including ActionSA and the Patriotic Alliance have made opposition to illegal immigration central to their campaigns. Their message has resonated with some voters who blame immigrants living in the country illegally for unemployment, strained public services and high crime rates.

Meanwhile, Economic Freedom Fighters candidates have faced criticism over the party’s support for a more integrated Africa with fewer trade barriers and fewer restrictions on movement.