Guardian: ‘bruising defeat’, IOL: ‘Death of the ANC’: Mandela’s party hits a historic low
South Africa’s ANC has fallen to about 31 percent in local elections. Western outlets frame it as a defeat for the once-dominant party, while South Africa’s IOL stresses internal turmoil and President Ramaphosa’s future.
What Western media report
The Guardian (UK) says the ANC is on course for a “bruising defeat”, below a third of the national vote with more than 80% of ballots counted, almost 14 points below 2021. It cites unemployment, crime, corruption and poor local services. Deutsche Welle (Germany) calls it a “historic defeat”: with 98% counted the ANC has 31% and the Democratic Alliance (DA) nearly 25%. DW reports the ANC lost its majority in six of eight metropolitan regions, that the DA leads in Pretoria and Johannesburg and won an outright majority in Cape Town, while Jacob Zuma’s MK party took the most votes in Durban. DW also recalls that the ANC lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 2024.
What media from these countries report: South Africa
IOL (South Africa, private news portal) headlines the result “Death of the ANC”, reporting 30.81% with 99% of results captured, the party’s worst showing in any election since 1994, with no outright majority in any metro. It puts this almost 15 points below the 45.6% of 2021 and less than half of 64.9% in 2006. IOL relies on anonymous ANC insiders and named voices: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma says leadership must take responsibility, one insider calls the current leadership “the worst that the ANC has had”, and Oxford Economics Africa analyst Louw Nel says the top seven’s positions could become “untenable”. According to IOL, Ramaphosa is considering his own future in the party.
Differences
- Figures: The Guardian gives “almost 14 points” down on 2021 and “under a third” (80% counted); DW gives 31% (98% counted); IOL gives 30.81% (99% counted) and a drop of “almost 15 points” from 45.6%.
- Metros: DW says the ANC lost its majority in six of eight metropolitan regions, whereas IOL says it has no outright majority in any metro.
- Focus: DW details results city by city and the roles of the DA and MK; IOL focuses on reactions inside the ANC, criticism of its leadership and consequences for Ramaphosa.
- Sources and tone: Western outlets cite the electoral commission and political observers; IOL quotes insiders and veterans with harsh judgments (“arrogance, incompetence, dishonesty, aloofness and corruption”) and uses the more dramatic headline “Death of the ANC”.
- Describing the DA: DW calls the Democratic Alliance “dominated by whites”; that description does not appear in the available IOL text.
Where they agree
- All sources report the ANC at about 31%, well below roughly 46% in 2021.
- All cite unemployment, crime, corruption and weak service delivery as drivers (IOL through maladministration, corruption and angry voters).
- All describe the ANC as Nelson Mandela’s party, in government since 1994.
Sources: read the originals
Western media
- South Africa
- ANC
- local elections
- Ramaphosa
- DA
- MK Party
Russia & Ukraine
North America
Europe
Europe
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