You Handed SA To The DA: Gayton McKenzie Blames ANC Failure For DA’s Growing Power

Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie has argued that the ANC has only itself to blame for allowing the Democratic Alliance to gain ground during the 2026 local government elections. His remarks, made as voting and early results were being reported, place the blame for the ANC’s declining support on the governing party’s own failures rather than on the strength of its rivals.

McKenzie’s argument rests on the idea that voters did not move to the DA out of loyalty to it, but because the ANC lost their trust. Over many years, residents in municipalities across the country have complained about failing water supply, potholes, uncollected refuse and electricity outages. In metros such as Johannesburg, Tshwane and eThekwini, these service delivery problems have been central to campaigns. McKenzie’s view is that the ANC had ample time to fix these problems and did not, which left space for the DA to present itself as a competent alternative.

The DA has long positioned itself as the party of good governance, and it has run its strongest campaigns in cities where it can point to clean administration in areas it controls, such as parts of the Western Cape. Its growth in other areas, however, depends on whether voters believe it can deliver the same results elsewhere. McKenzie’s comments suggest he sees the DA’s gains as a consequence of the ANC’s weaknesses, not as proof that the DA has solved the problems residents face.

The remark also reflects the wider political context of the 2026 elections. Smaller parties, including the Patriotic Alliance, the MK Party and ActionSA, have competed for votes in the same urban and township communities, and each has argued that it offers a better alternative to the ANC. Coalition arithmetic will matter greatly in many municipalities, where no single party is likely to win an outright majority. In such cases, the relationship between parties after the results are announced could be as important as the votes themselves.

Analysts often caution that the collapse of support for a governing party does not automatically translate into gains for one specific rival. Voters who are dissatisfied may choose abstention, support a new or smaller party, or vote for the opposition without necessarily endorsing its policies. Whether the DA’s gains hold will depend on the outcome of the vote count and the coalition deals that follow, and on whether the party can convince voters beyond its existing base that it can govern effectively.

McKenzie’s comments are likely to be read by supporters of the ANC as a political attack, and by DA supporters as an acknowledgement of their party’s growing appeal. For ordinary voters, the more useful test will be what each party does in office over the coming years, particularly on the basic services that shape daily life. The final picture will only become clear once all results are confirmed and municipal councils begin the work of forming governments.

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