'Bread and butter' issues dominate SA elections

'Bread and butter' issues dominate SA elections Estelle.Bronkhorst Thu, 11/05/2026 - 05:10

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa voted on Wednesday in local government elections dominated by anger over failures in water and power supply that are expected to result in a further slide in support for the ANC.

Control of the major cities is at stake in the vote for 257 councils that will gauge the political mood ahead of the next national elections in 2029.

Moses Mashaba, a 27-year-old street vendor from Johannesburg's Soweto township, said he voted because "things have been horrible".

"Sometimes we don't have water or electricity. There is also a high unemployment rate, which has been frustrating," he told AFP.

Polling stations began closing at 9pm after a 14-hour day, but authorities said anyone still in a queue would still be able to cast their ballot.

Counting would start at polling stations soon after the last votes had been cast, with final results due by Sunday, the election authority said.

Of 29.2 million registered voters, 12 million had cast their ballots on Wednesday by 5pm, it said in its turnout figure.

Some 2.6 million people were allowed to vote early on Monday and Tuesday but only 1.4 million did so.

• AFP