DA targets Johannesburg to expand influence ahead of municipal elections

The Democratic Alliance announced a platform that would eliminate political appointments in municipal administration and prohibit the ANC's cadre deployment practice, positioning the plan as a referendum on local governance. Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town mayor and DA leader, highlighted the party's record of clean audits and a top credit rating in Cape Town, contrasting it with service failures in other major cities. Survey data from the Social Research Foundation places ANC support in Johannesburg at 18%, down from 30%, while the DA holds 42% backing, and Ipsos research indicates only 38% of citizens view municipal performance as adequate.

The DA also pledged to allocate water and electricity tariff revenues to fund upkeep of grids, pipes, and substations. With 247 municipal councils and over $33 billion in annual budgets at stake on Nov. 4, the vote could reshape coalition dynamics after the ANC lost its outright majority in 2021 and nationally in 2024. The Economic Freedom Fighters have also released a municipal manifesto calling for the removal of outsourced municipal staff.