The African National Congress has taken its worst-ever beating in local government elections, and the party is not mincing words about it. Secretary-general Fikile Mbalula called the outcome "catastrophic," while President Cyril Ramaphosa struck a more measured tone, saying the verdict of voters must be respected.
For a party that has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid, results like these carry real weight. The ANC's slide in local elections signals that ordinary South Africans are sending a clear message about service delivery, accountability, and trust at the community level.
The question now is not just what went wrong, but whether the party's leadership has the will to do anything differently before the next election comes around.
Originally published by BBC Africa.