02/09/2026
HAS THE ANC GIVEN UP ON JOBURG?
Johannesburg is shaping up to be one of the biggest battlegrounds of the November local government elections.
A provocative analysis argues that the ANC appears to have effectively given up on winning the city outright — pointing to five warning signs: no clear mayoral candidate or compelling strategy, declining voter participation among its traditional supporters, worsening electricity failures, growing distance from its base, and deteriorating conditions in Soweto.
But there’s an important qualification.
An ANC decline does not automatically mean a DA government.
In a fragmented Johannesburg, turnout will matter enormously — and even more importantly, the final government could once again be determined by coalition arithmetic after the votes have been counted.
So perhaps the real question isn't simply: Who will win Johannesburg?
It is: Who will actually be able to govern it?
