JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's 2026 local government elections are revealing a changing electorate. eNCA Elections Analyst Mbali Ntuli believes the country is finally moving towards ‘257 different elections,’ with voters making choices based on the realities of their respective municipalities rather than just backing a political party.
“In the past, people would ultimately vote based on party loyalty, thinking that they could give their party another chance. Now, we are finally at the stage where people are actually having different conversations about what matters to them,” she said.
From Johannesburg to Durban, Ntuli said voters are having different conversations about what matters to them.
“A voter in Johannesburg is voting particularly in these elections as a referendum on municipalities, while a voter in KZN, particularly in Durban, is voting on totally different issues.
“They might vote for the same party sometimes, but actually people are starting to say what works best for me, where I am, and which political party or which political candidate is going to actually give that,” she added.
The Ground Work Collective CEO reflects on the 2024 general elections as an important turning point, where South Africans challenged the political landscape.
And now, she says, the citizens are riding the wave that comes when you do not have a single party.
“What that means is that people start getting excited about the system again. They want to engage. They want to get back in, because there is a possibility now that things could change. I think that's great.”
As Ntuli praised the voter turnout, she raised concerns about the youth and messaging to this important cohort.
“They're just not sure that the political parties are speaking to them in a way that they can really understand. So, it feels out of touch. They don't believe you. And there's a real credibility issue that they have with the politicians.”