The election is likely to be shaped more by voters’ everyday concerns than by political loyalties. (AFP pic)JOHANNESBURG: South Africans vote on Wednesday in a closely watched local government election, with parties battling for control of major cities in a contest expected to offer a measure of the national mood before the next national polls.
The vote comes as a weary electorate contends with crumbling infrastructure, dry taps, persistent inequality and unemployment above 30%, deepening public disillusionment with the political establishment.
Polling stations open at 7:00 am (0500 GMT) and close at 9:00 pm (1900 GMT).
More than 29 million voters are registered but the last municipal elections, in 2021, drew fewer than half of them to the polls, with turnout at just 46 percent.
