South Africa: Dwindling support for ANC amid service delivery chaos

With less than two weeks to go to South Africa's municipal elections, several recent polls have shown dwindling support for the African National Congress. Frustration at the lack of service delivery saw it win just over 40 percent in the 2024 national vote, forcing it to accept a coalition government. Outside the wealthy neighborhoods of Johannesburg, anger at lack of services like water or electricity has led many to say they they won't be voting. If nothing happens, it's obvious we are not going to vote. Any organization, we are not going to vote, especially the leading party ANC. We don't care to call them because it's been a long time. In Alexandra, uncollected refuse piles up as sewage flows down the street, while many residents don't have access to running water. Like in other communities across the country, mismanagement and corruption is feeding disillusionment with ANC-led municipalities. The reason why I'm not voting is because I don't believe in our government and the reason why I don't believe in them is because they've disappointed us countless of times. Elsewhere in Katlehong, a man's been digging in this yard in an attempt to reach a blocked pipe at a house surrounded by sewage. Although he's angry, he admits that if he did make it to a voting station on the 4th of November, he would still vote for the ANC, the Party of Liberation. Political analysts say municipal elections do generally attract low turnout, which hurts the party. I'm very frustrated. I feel that our government, the ANC, has failed us. As a citizen of South Africa, to suffer this way, I've suffered. And the worst part is that I'm in an area where I bought a house. We didn't just put ourselves here. So I don't feel happy at all. I feel that the government has failed us dismally. Analysts say it's likely that no party will win an outright majority in many of the municipalities, forcing them to form coalitions which are often fragile, further undermining service delivery.