ANC on course for bruising defeat in South Africa's local elections with 80% of ballots counted

Summary

The African National Congress is on course to suffer a bruising defeat in South Africa's local elections, falling to under a third of the national vote with more than 80% of ballots counted. The party's share is almost 14 percentage points below its 2021 result. Voting took place on Wednesday in a fragmented field, and partial results released on Friday showed the ANC heading for its worst-ever election performance, at 32% after 80% of votes were counted. Initial tallies reported elsewhere put it at around 30%, amid rising anger over failures to deliver basic services such as water and electricity. The former liberation movement, which has led national governments since the end of white minority apartheid rule in 1994, has declined as voters turn away over high unemployment, crime, corruption and poor local service delivery.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   6 Nov 2026, 12:48 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that the ANC is on course for a bruising defeat in the local elections, falling to under a third of the national vote with more than 80% of ballots counted, almost 14 percentage points below its 2021 result.

2. Africanews

   6 Nov 2026, 14:51 UTCSource ↗

   Africanews reports that partial results released on Friday show the ruling ANC headed for its worst-ever election performance, with 32% of the votes after 80% had been counted.

3. The Times of Israel

   6 Nov 2026, 16:29 UTCSource ↗

   The Times of Israel reports that the liberation party, which once won 70% of the vote, is heading towards just 30% according to an initial tally, with rising anger over the failure to deliver basic services like water and electricity.