South African municipal vote to gauge support for ruling ANC

South Africans are voting in local government elections that will offer an indication if support for the ruling African National Congress has rebounded after seeing its popularity wane in recent years

JOHANNESBURG -- South Africans are voting on Monday in local government elections that will offer an indication if support for the ruling African National Congress has rebounded after waning in recent years.

The municipal elections, which take place every five years, determine the composition of councils responsible for providing essential services like water, waste management and sanitation. Councilors, in turn, elect city mayors.

The vote, the sixth since the end of apartheid in 1994, comes amid South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign, with some polling stations setting up adjacent vaccination centers to encourage voters to cast their ballots and receive a shot.

Campaigning has largely focused on the ANC's apparent failure to provide essential services in cities and municipalities they govern. Compounding that is the national ANC government’s failure to ensure a stable electricity supply following rolling power blackouts last week.