The African National Congress (ANC) is banking heavily on President Cyril Ramaphosa to win over voters across South Africa.
On the campaign trail, Ramaphosa has been pulling out all the stops, trying to charm young and old alike in a push to reconnect with an increasingly disillusioned electorate. Although these are local government elections, the ANC president has taken centre stage, effectively transforming municipal races into a national referendum on party leadership and governance.
This presidential-led strategy comes as independent polling reveals severe electoral headwinds for the ruling party across major urban hubs. Recent surveys conducted by reputable research institutions (Ipsos, MarkData, and the Social Research Foundation) indicate that national support for the ANC has dropped to between 29% and 34%, very loosely straddling a one-third majority. Crucially, polling data suggests the ANC could lose support across all eight major metropolitan areas. The party faces steep competition from the Democratic Alliance in economic hubs like Tshwane and Johannesburg, while battling significantly against the MK Party in eThekwini.
Political analyst Ongama Mtimka provided key context to The Debrief Network, emphasising the severe financial constraints driving strategy on the ground in a ‘high-stakes political contest.’
“Political parties like the ANC that have seen dwindling financial resources have to try and leverage on all of their assets,” he said. “In order to make sure that they get a significant share of the voter pie in South Africa, their grounded campaign that’s used many of their leaders, including president Ramaphosa, is well justified.”
As voters prepare to head to the polls, one decisive question hangs over the race: can Ramaphosa’s charm offensive turn the tide, or is it too little, too late?