Key facts
- South Africans vote in municipal elections on November 4.
- Key battleground metros include Johannesburg, Tshwane, Cape Town, Ethekwini, Ekurhuleni, Buffalo City, and Mangaung.
- The DA is favored to retain Cape Town, while Johannesburg and Tshwane could see coalition governments.
- Former President Jacob Zuma's MKP party threatens to displace the ANC in Ethekwini.
- ANC support is eroding nationally and in urban areas, with concerns over service delivery, corruption, and crime cited by voters.
South Africans are heading to the polls on November 4 for municipal elections, with voter frustration over poor service delivery, unstable coalitions, and rising costs shaping the political landscape. The elections are seen as a key indicator of the ruling African National Congress's (ANC) declining support ahead of the 2029 national vote.
Key battleground metros include Johannesburg, where the Democratic Alliance (DA) has an early advantage and polls suggest a potential coalition with the ANC. Tshwane, home to Pretoria, highlights the influence of smaller parties, with ActionSA currently leading a coalition government after the DA lost power. The DA is expected to retain Cape Town, its long-held stronghold, though challenges from property prices and gang violence persist.
In Ethekwini, the port city of Durban, former President Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) is poised to challenge the ANC's dominance. Ekurhuleni, which includes Johannesburg's main airport, is another area where ANC support is projected to decline significantly, putting it neck-and-neck with the DA. Buffalo City and Mangaung remain the ANC's strongest urban bastions, serving as tests of how far the party's urban support has eroded.