Why The ANC Has Become Unpopular Among KwaZulu-Natal Residents

The African National Congress (ANC), which was once hailed as a liberation movement, is today largely connected to corruption and poor governance.

Residents rely on water tankers, which do not always supply water on time. Photo Credit: Getty Images

The African National Congress (ANC), which was once hailed as a liberation movement, is today largely connected to corruption and poor governance. The disappointment among voters, particularly the younger ones, resulted in notable defeats in the latest election.

According to a Reuters report, locals in Durban are unhappy with the area’s neglect and slow rate of growth. Older supporters who remember the ANC’s anti-apartheid battle are also abandoning the party, despite a gap in generational loyalty.

Since reaching its peak in 2004, the ANC’s vote share has been continuously declining, which has resulted in a notable decrease in this election, estimated to be between 8% and 15%.

Resident Senzo Mkhize told the Reuters that “I work here in Durban, and one can see that the municipality has given up and they have let things be. It used to be a very beautiful city, but since the municipality is under the ANC things are not good.”

Other community members also told the BBC that they were leaving the ANC party because it had failed to handle the serious water shortages; local considerations may have played a big influence in this shift.

They said some portions of this region have been without tap water for ten months, including Trenance Park, which is approximately 20 minutes from Durban’s main city.

Locals, therefore, rely on water tankers, who do not always deliver water on time.

Meanwhile, with 44% of votes of KwaZulu-Natal and counting, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which currently sits third in the national vote count is reported to have achieved extraordinary success despite launching only a few months before the polls.

“I’m very pleased with what the MK has done during the 2024 election especially here in KZN (KwaZulu-Natal)” Mkhize said.

The people of KwaZulu-Natal, however, hope that the election winner would permanently fix the issue.