The African National Congress (ANC) is projected to receive less than a third of the national vote in South Africa's local elections, marking a decline of nearly 14 percentage points from the 2021 results. With over 80% of ballots counted, the ANC is expected to lose its status as the largest party in key provinces, including Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, as coalition negotiations begin among other parties.
Voter turnout increased to 54.5%, up from 46% in the previous election. In Johannesburg, the Democratic Alliance (DA) leads with 40% of the vote, while the ANC trails at 17.5%. The final results and coalition formations are anticipated by Sunday, with implications for local governance amid ongoing service delivery challenges.