No Electricity, No Vote: Service Chaos Tests South Africa’s ANC

Some residents are turning a basic service failure into a voting ultimatum. They say they will withhold their ballots unless their municipality provides electricity, because daily life and children’s progress depend on reliable power.

In Katlehong, 180 households have used illegal connections for more than 20 years. Thick cables carry electricity from another area. Community leader Lesiba Rankapole says residents know the connections are illegal but felt they had no choice. The wires supply homes that authorities failed to connect properly.

The protest also reflects wider anger at ANC-led municipalities. Residents mention missing water services, illegal dumping, sewage, and poor maintenance. Some, like Enock Majola, say they will not vote for the ANC. Their decision shows how local service failures can become direct political punishment at election time.

The African National Congress, or ANC, was at the heart of South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle. It is associated with Nelson Mandela, described in the article as a jailed liberation hero who became president. That history gave the party deep recognition and political support after apartheid.

The ANC’s electoral strength helped it control municipalities across the country. It won nearly 70 percent of the national vote in 2004. In the 2021 municipal elections, it still retained control of nearly half the municipalities, despite receiving only 46 percent of votes. Its municipalities are therefore central to local government and public services.

That position is no longer secure. The ANC fell below 50 percent nationally in 2021 and received just over 40 percent in 2024. It was then forced into a coalition government. Local complaints about corruption, mismanagement, and weak services now threaten its municipal support.

The ANC lost roughly 30 percentage points of national support between 2004 and 2024. Its share fell from nearly 70 percent to just over 40 percent. This is a major decline for a party that once dominated South African elections.

The slide happened in stages. The ANC won 46 percent in the 2021 municipal elections, dropping below 50 percent for the first time. It still controlled nearly half the municipalities. At the 2024 national vote, its result fell again to just over 40 percent.

The political consequence was immediate. The ANC could no longer govern nationally without partners and was forced to accept a coalition government. Its weakened position has also encouraged rivals, including former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party. The local elections will show where its remaining support is strongest and may shape the 2029 national contest.

Municipalities are expected to make daily life work. The article links them to electricity connections, water, garbage collection, sewage management, roads, and street lighting. These are not distant national promises. They shape whether homes have power, streets are usable, and neighborhoods remain safe and clean.

Katlehong shows how failures become political. Residents used illegal electricity wires because 180 households were not properly connected for more than 20 years. Elsewhere, sewage surrounded Meshack Twala’s house and blocked pipes. In Alexandra, residents faced rubbish heaps, potholes, and sewage flows. These conditions make government performance visible every day.

Such failures feed disillusionment with ANC-led municipalities. Some residents say they will not vote, while others plan to support rival parties. The effect may be lower turnout or changed votes. Political analyst Sethulego Matebesi said low municipal turnout hurts the ANC and helps reveal where each party’s support base stands.

If no party wins an outright majority, councils may become hung municipalities. That means no single party controls enough seats to govern alone. Parties would then need agreements with rivals to form administrations and pass decisions.

The article’s political analyst, Sethulego Matebesi, predicted the country would be “full swing” into coalition-building. He expected no party to win an outright majority. South Africa’s recent national result provides context: the ANC received just over 40 percent in 2024 and had to accept a coalition government.

Coalitions can change who governs major councils, including Johannesburg. They also give smaller or rival parties bargaining power. Matebesi said the local vote will show parties where their support bases are as they prepare for the 2029 national poll. Low turnout may hurt the ANC, while fragmented results could make local government less predictable.

Johannesburg is the major prize in the local elections. The city has more than 4.8 million people and reflects South Africa’s sharp inequality. The Democratic Alliance, or DA, and centre-right Action SA are challenging the ANC there, while the DA is already in charge of Cape Town.

The DA offers itself as an alternative by attacking ANC service failures and mismanagement. Its mayoral candidate, Helen Zille, warned that more corruption and collapsing infrastructure could push Johannesburg beyond recovery. The party points to rubbish, potholes, sewage, and weak local services as evidence for change.

Action SA is led by Herman Mashaba, who is seeking a second chance as Johannesburg mayor. He highlighted irregular refuse collection and streets without lights. The ANC was still choosing its candidate less than two weeks before polling day, while rivals used the city’s problems to argue for a new administration.

A liberation legacy can create lasting loyalty, but elections also measure current government performance. The ANC led the anti-apartheid struggle and was linked to Nelson Mandela. That history helped it win nearly 70 percent of the national vote in 2004 and govern many municipalities.

Yet residents describe problems they face now. Enock Majola said he was “born ANC” but no longer wanted to hear about the party because he was suffering. Meshack Twala questioned voting while his street experienced persistent sewage problems. Patrick Saohatse said Alexandra had seen no changes despite years of ANC government.

These experiences turn historical loyalty into political disappointment. Some residents plan to abstain, while others support the DA or Action SA. The ANC’s national share fell below 50 percent in 2021 and to just over 40 percent in 2024. Continued service failures could deepen fragmentation and coalition politics.