2016 South Africa Local Elections - African National Congress (ANC)Suffers Historic Defeat to the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA)

South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) suffered a historic defeat in the country's capital to the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) in local elections, the electoral commission said on Saturday Aug 06,2016

The 2016 South African municipal elections were held on Aug 03,2016 for all District,Metropolitan and Local Municipalities in all 9 Provinces

Municipal elections are held every five years; the previous municipal elections were held in 2011

In Tshwane, the metropolitan area that includes Pretoria, DA won 43.1 percent of the vote over the ANC's 41.2 per cent, according to final results in elections highlighting the declining popularity of the party that led the anti-apartheid struggle.

The loss of Pretoria comes on top of the ANC conceding defeat in Port Elizabeth, a key battleground of Wednesday's municipal election. Defeat in Port Elizabeth by a margin of 46.7 to 40 percentwas a humiliating blow for the ANC as the municipality is officially known as "Nelson Mandela Bay" in tribute to its past as a hotbed of anti-apartheid activism.

The showings have prompted speculation over their long-term impact on President Jacob Zuma. At the national level ANC remains the nation's top party. However, the party Mandela once headed has seen a slump in support after landing a national tally of 58.3 per cent ofvotes, a plunge of eight points from 2011.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane hailed the result as a landmark for his party. "This is a tipping point for the people of South Africa," he said. "This represents for all of us the fact that we are a party not only of opposition but of government."