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Vol. 3 · No. 317 Every side. Side by side. Friday, November 13, 2026
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ANC says Ramaphosa stays after worst local election result

Africanews reports ANC leaders met after municipal losses of about 31 percent of the vote and said President Cyril Ramaphosa would not resign.

By AI reporterPRESSElena Dateline · WhatsNewPaper Desk · Written from 13 sources
What's new
  1. Anchorage Daily News is now reporting this
  2. New headline Was: “ANC posts worst local-election result as South Africa turns to coalitions”
  3. Our desk updated its story
  4. AllAfrica, Arab News and Japan Today are now reporting this
  5. New headline Was: “South Africa ANC near 31% in local vote as coalition talks begin”
15 earlier updates
  1. Our desk updated its story
  2. New headline Was: “Malema says ANC-DA unity deal helped DA in South Africa local vote”
  3. Our desk updated its story
  4. Daily Maverick, The Rio Times and 3 more are now reporting this
  5. New headline Was: “South Africa counts votes in municipal elections”
  6. Our desk updated its story
  7. Africanews and IOL are now reporting this
  8. New headline Was: “South Africans vote in local elections that test the ANC”
  9. Our desk updated its story
  10. Local 10 and DW are now reporting this
  11. New headline Was: “ANC under pressure to reverse South Africa decline”
  12. Our desk filed its story
  13. Still developing
  14. New headline Was: “South Africans vote in local elections that could continue decline of ANC”
  15. Al Jazeera is now reporting this

Wire reporting: (AFP, via IOL), (AP, via Arab News)

Leaders of South Africa's African National Congress met after last week's municipal elections and said President Cyril Ramaphosa would remain in office, Africanews reported1.

National spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said claims that Ramaphosa had offered to resign were fabrication and that the party's National Executive Committee would review the result and a mandate for coalition talks1.

The ANC, which has governed since 1994, recorded its weakest local showing, with most outlets putting its national share near 31 percent, down about 15 points from 20211,8,3.

France 24 and The Rio Times cited 30.76 percent for the ANC; Daily Maverick put the party at 32.5 percent, the Democratic Alliance at 22.9 percent and uMkhonto weSizwe at 9.9 percent6,7,10.

The Electoral Commission declared the Nov. 4 vote free and fair, The Rio Times reported, with turnout about 52 percent, up from 202110.

The DA overtook the ANC as the largest party in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Ekurhuleni and kept Cape Town, Al Jazeera reported8.

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula called the outcome catastrophic, according to Africanews and Al Jazeera1,8.

Voters have long cited water and power cuts, refuse and housing shortfalls, Africanews, DW and Al Jazeera reported1,2,8.

No party won a majority in many councils; The Rio Times said 127 of 213 councils are hung and Al Jazeera said parties have a 14-day window to form councils8,10.

In 2024 the ANC lost its parliamentary majority and entered a national coalition; analysts told the BBC and Al Jazeera that local coalitions are now the norm3,8.

Ramaphosa is expected to leave the party leadership before the 2027 ANC contest while remaining head of state until the 2029 national election, Al Jazeera and the BBC reported3,8.

Sources

  1. AfricanewsSouth Africa's ANC backs Ramaphosa despite local election losses
  2. DWAfter suffering its worst election result, what's next for the ANC — and for South Africa?
  3. BBC'Devastating message' as ANC records worst-ever result in South Africa election
  4. (AFP, via IOL)ANC decline, coalition politics and apathy: Five takeaways from South Africa’s local elections
  5. (AP, via Arab News)South Africa’s ANC is humbled by its worst election results as it continues its declineAlso (AP, via Japan Today), (AP, via The Philadelphia Inquirer), (AP, via Local 10), (AP, via ABC News)
  1. Anchorage Daily NewsHow Nelson Mandela’s ANC party lost its way in South Africa
  2. AllAfricaSouth Africa: From 47.5 Percent to 32.5 Percent - the ANC's Local Government Slide, in One Chart
  3. Daily MaverickELECTION RESULTS: From 47.5% to 32.5% — the ANC’s local government slide, in one chart
  4. France 24South Africa's ANC slumps to worst-ever election result
  5. Al JazeeraWhat ‘catastrophic’ South Africa local election results mean for ANC
  6. The Rio TimesSouth Africa Ruling Party Slips, Nigeria Tense
  7. StuffSouth Africa's ruling ANC faces huge decline in voter support, early election results show
  8. The GuardianANC faces bruising defeat in South African local elections with 80% of ballots counted

Read the original at Africanews ↗

How it’s being reported

13 sources

First reported by ABC NewsABC News

AfricanewsDWBBCAllAfricaDaily MaverickFrance 24

Where they agree

  • The ANC recorded its worst local election result and remained the largest party nationally.
  • Coalition talks will decide many councils, including major metros.
  • Party officials said Ramaphosa is not resigning.

Where they differ

Exact national vote shares

Side by side

Each outlet's article broken down by our newsroom, in our own words. To read what they wrote, use the button under each one.

AfricanewsAfricanews

South Africa's ANC backs Ramaphosa despite local election losses

Leadership meeting, soul-searching, and a denial that the president offered to resign

ANC spokesperson said Ramaphosa would not resign after a special NEC meeting on the municipal results.

Leaves out Metro-by-metro seat picture

Leadership meeting, soul-searching, and a denial that the president offered to resign

What it reports

  • Spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said claims that Ramaphosa offered to resign were fabrication.
  • The party said its vote share fell about 15 points to 31 percent.
  • The NEC was to receive reports on talks with other parties and a negotiations mandate.
  • Secretary-general called the result catastrophic and said the party would seek to win back trust.

Leaves out Metro-by-metro seat picture

Read the original at Africanews Read the full article at Africanews
DWDW

After suffering its worst election result, what's next for the ANC — and for South Africa?

Public anger at local governance failures

DW said the result reflected frustration over unemployment, service failures and corruption.

Leaves out Thursday NEC meeting and resignation rumor

Public anger at local governance failures

What it reports

  • DW tied the vote to unemployment, poor services, local governance failures and graft.

Leaves out Thursday NEC meeting and resignation rumor

Read the original at DW Read the full article at DW
BBC

'Devastating message' as ANC records worst-ever result in South Africa election

Service failures and coalition talks in Gauteng metros

Analysts said the local result showed the ANC in decline at municipal, metro and national levels. BBC News

Leaves out Thursday NEC meeting

Service failures and coalition talks in Gauteng metros

What it reports

  • Analyst Susan Booysen said the vote sent a devastating message of decline at every level.
  • William Gumede said South Africa is now a coalition country and the DA gained more Black votes.
  • The ANC may be shut out in Johannesburg and Pretoria coalition talks.

Leaves out Thursday NEC meeting

Read the original at BBC Read the full article at BBC
Daily MaverickDaily Maverick

ELECTION RESULTS: From 47.5% to 32.5% — the ANC’s local government slide, in one chart

Party-by-party vote shares since 2021

Chart piece puts the ANC local share at 32.5 percent versus 47.5 percent in 2021.

Leaves out Ramaphosa’s future and coalition talks

Party-by-party vote shares since 2021

What it reports

  • Daily Maverick put ANC at 32.5 percent, DA at 22.9 percent, MK at 9.9 percent, EFF at 6.4 percent.
  • It said the SACP, contesting independently, took 2.6 percent and ActionSA 5.0 percent.

Leaves out Ramaphosa’s future and coalition talks

Read the original at Daily Maverick Read the full article at Daily Maverick