South Africa’s four largest political parties came out strongly during the final voter registration weekend, with campaigns particularly intense in Gauteng, where the crucial metros of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane have been governed through unstable coalitions since 2016.
A lack of decisive outcomes from voters during the past two local government elections has resulted in nearly a decade of instability, with the ANC and the former official opposition, the Democratic Alliance, leading opposing coalitions in prolonged power struggles that have shaped the future of these key municipalities.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula campaigned in Johannesburg, where the stakes are high. Political parties have fielded prominent figures as mayoral candidates, including DA leader Helen Zille and the respected medical doctor Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, a former United Nations Special Rapporteur, who has been selected by the Economic Freedom Fighters.
The DA also focused heavily on Gauteng, with party leader Geordin Hill-Lewis campaigning in Johannesburg, while City of Tshwane caucus leader Cilliers Brink was also engaging with potential voters.
Brink has remained in campaign mode since his removal as executive mayor by an ANC-led coalition, which later replaced him with his former deputy, Nasiphi Moya of ActionSA.
This week, Brink received an indirect boost after Tshwane City Manager Johan Mettler, who was appointed and defended by the DA, had his suspension overturned by the High Court in Pretoria.
President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Madibeng Municipality, where the ANC faces challenges from several smaller local parties, many led by former ANC members.
The President’s visit was briefly disrupted when a woman claiming to be from a royal family attempted to prevent him from moving forward. Ramaphosa and other ANC leaders quickly defused the situation.
“You don’t respect me. You have to respect me. I am the President and I speak to many people everywhere, including you. Right now, my hand is going to reach out and greet these gentlemen, and you are not going to try to block me or block my hand,” Ramaphosa said.
The woman accused the Presidency of delaying a decision on a traditional leadership dispute.
“We have no chief here. You have no right to come here because your people misled you and they don’t take us seriously,” she said.
The MK Party held events in its strongholds of KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Gauteng. Despite some of its senior leaders attending the funeral of the grandfather of EFF leader Julius Malema in Seshego, Limpopo, the party maintained campaign activities across the country.
The EFF also made a strong showing at universities and other institutions of higher learning, where its youth structures remain influential.
Among smaller parties, ActionSA was one of the most visible, with newly recruited campaign organiser Ayanda Allie quickly taking part in activities in Gauteng.
Allie’s former party, Build One South Africa, focused on the Johannesburg mayoral campaign of its deputy leader Nobuhle Hlazo-Webster, who addressed a small group of supporters, while founder Mmusi Maimane was filmed engaging with voters.
A limited number of supporters attended a Rise Mzansi event addressed by, among others, Gauteng Economic Development MEC Vuyiswa Ramokgopa.
Several other political movements, including Floyd Shivambu’s Mayibuye Afrika movement and the Patriotic Alliance, had no major public activities during the registration weekend. However, the Patriotic Alliance has continued gaining wards from both the ANC and DA between elections without relying on traditional campaign methods.
The registration period was largely peaceful, with the only reported incident coming from Mpumalanga, where the EFF shared a video alleging that around 30 young people were being fraudulently registered in a ward where they did not live.
“There’s a group of about 30 young people who were transported to Ward 11 with two taxis from Block A, Block B and Tonga to register to vote there,” the EFF said in a post on X.
The party alleged the individuals had been sent by local figures and tagged ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula in the post.
Earlier in the week, Mbalula denied that the ANC was threatened by the EFF and rejected claims that the party had flown a helicopter over Thohoyandou Stadium in Limpopo during the EFF’s 13th anniversary celebrations.
Mbalula said the helicopter was conducting ANC activities and that its appearance near the EFF event was due to the close proximity of the two venues.