South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) is preparing for difficult coalition negotiations after recording 30.76% of the vote in municipal elections, its weakest local result, Africanews reported.

President Cyril Ramaphosa urged parties to respect voters' verdict and keep communities' needs at the centre of negotiations. Newly elected councils must hold their first meetings within 14 days of the formal declaration of results to elect mayors and other office-bearers.

Africanews reported that all but one of the country's eight major cities faced coalition talks, while the Democratic Alliance secured an outright majority in Cape Town. Turnout was 52%, up six percentage points from the 2021 municipal elections.

The results put pressure on the ANC as councils negotiate how to manage local services, including water, electricity and other municipal responsibilities.