ANC loses control of three key metros for the first time since 1994

By Edward Laabu

South Africa's ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), is ‘nursing its wounds' following its worst performance in the local government elections last month.

Generally, the August 3, local government elections were peaceful despite few episodes of violence protests in Tshwane and political killings in Kwazulu Natal, the Eastern Cape and in other parts of the country where councilors of different political parties were gunned down.

The election results provided proof that ANC's popularity and support has declined among South Africans across the county.

For the first time in 22 years, the ANC has lost control of three key metros; the city of Tshwane, Nelson Mandela Bay and Johannesburg to the leading opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), led by Mmunsi Maimane.

After the elections, the ANC came out limping, desperate to retain control of the three metropolitan cities.

 Its hopes of governing Tshwane, Nelson Mandela Bay and Johannesburg were shattered after smaller opposition parties, including the Congress of the People (COPE), Freedom Front Plus (FFP), United Democratic Movement (UDM), among others entered coalition agreements with the DA and vowed to vote for it to secure the metros.

South Africa's third party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by Julius Malema, did not enter any coalition agreement with any political party. Efforts to form a coalition with either the ANC or the DA failed because neither of the parties agreed to their demands.

The EFF would have voted for the ANC to retain control of the metros if they had met the conditions put before them. Among EFF's demands was the removal of President Jacob Zuma from office, a condition that the ANC was not ready to embrace. In this light, the EFF voted for the DA, a step that removed the ANC from power in the three metros.

It is however imperative to note that both the ANC and DA did not get an outright majority to govern the three key metros but the latter emerged victorious with the help of smaller parties.

To this effect, DA members have been elected mayors in Tshwane, Nelson Mandela and Johannesburg. Herman Mashaba is now the new mayor of the Johannesburg while Solly Msimanga heads the city of Tshwane. Athol Trollip governs Nelson Mandela Bay. 

The Party also still governors the mother city, Cape Town where it won a two-thirds majority.

As a matter of fact, power over the three metros has shifted from the ANC to the DA for the first time since coming to power in 1994.

Although the DA is widely regarded as a ‘white party', it seems to have generated support especially from hundreds of unemployed South Africans.

ANC's poor performance in the local government elections supports the notion that some of its supporters have lost faith in its administration.

The party's performance sounds ‘alarm bells' for something to be done to restore public confidence in the liberation organisation.

As such, there are growing tensions and fears among ANC stalwarts that the party could lose elections in 2019 to the DA if nothing is done.

The governing party is due to hold an elective conference in December next year, but some members are calling for an early conference to iron out a number of challenges afflicting the organisation as a result of its poor performance in the elections.

Others, including the former foreign affairs Director General, Sipho Pityana, have publically called for the resignation of President Jacob Zuma and his entire cabinet to save the party.

Many South Africans believe that President Jacob Zuma's government has not done enough to tackle corruption, poverty and unemployment in the country.

Others attribute the party's poor performance to President Jacob Zuma's alleged involvement in several corruption scandals, including the Nkandla saga where the public protector ordered him to pay back a portion of money sent on his private home in Kwazulu Natal.  Zuma's relationship with the Gupta family, accused of state capture and influencing ANC's decisions has also been a matter of concern among ANC members and South Africans at large.

The declining economy of South Africa, the depreciating currency and inflation could have affected the party's performance in the elections.

Poor service delivery especially in townships such as Alexandria where many residents lack proper toilets could have had a negative effect on the party's performance.

With the above in mind, it is therefore imperative for the governing party to start addressing some of the challenges that could have had a direct bearing on its performance.

The ANC should start setting ground for the 2019 elections. The Party should begin by engaging with its supporters as early as possible in an effort to restore its image and public confidence among South Africans.

It should also start addressing corruption and social economic problems affecting the majority of South Africans especially those living in townships where poverty, unemployment and social evils are predominant.

If nothing is done, the ANC could lose support across the country and become the opposition in the near future. 

Writer is a journalist and a communication science student at the University of South Africa