South Africa: Is this the end of ANC dominance? | DW News

South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC), the party once led by Nelson Mandela, has suffered its worst-ever election result. Its share of the vote fell to just 30.76% in the country’s 2026 municipal elections, down from 45.59% in 2021.

The ANC has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994, but its support has declined amid corruption scandals, unemployment and widespread frustration over failing public services, including water and electricity supplies.

The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) secured 24.64% of the vote and finished ahead of the ANC in several major cities, including Johannesburg. With many municipalities facing coalition negotiations, the election raises questions about political stability, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership and the ANC’s future.

DW News speaks to William Gumede, Associate Professor at the School of Governance at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, about why voters are turning away from the ANC, whether its historic political authority can be restored and what the results mean for South African democracy.
#dwcurrentaffairs

For more news go to: http://www.dw.com/en/

Follow DW on social media:
►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwnews
►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dwnews
►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deutschewellenews/
►Twitter: https://twitter.com/dwnews
►Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/DWNews/

Für Videos in deutscher Sprache besuchen Sie: https://www.youtube.com/dwdeutsch

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/deutschewelleenglish?sub_confirmation=1