Poll Position: It’s war

What's in the M&G this week [View this email in your browser]( November 5, 2021 [Mail & Guardian]( Hi there, To err is human, to grovel is divine. All the ANC’s “self-correction”, which didn’t materialise, is now tail-tucking talk of coalition and partnership. What happens now? Find out in this week’s M&G, available in print and online. The Great Stayaway. This is what we at the Mail & Guardian have been calling the 2021 local government elections. Fewer than 30% of South Africans made a decision on 1 November. That decision has seen the ANC’s support at local government level plummet to about 46%. This is the poorest showing the ruling party has ever seen. Long weekend? Covid? Disillusionment with political parties? [We attempted to put reasons to the worst turnout since 1994](. Despondent citizens are uncertain about whether South Africa’s political parties will stay true to the promises made in the run-up to the 2021 local government elections. [History largely suggests otherwise]( Eunice Stoltz writes. Lizeka Tandwa and Paddy Harper report on the [bloodbath strategy session that awaits]( the ANC as it enters into coalitions. In one corner is ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa and his strongest ally, Gwede Mantashe, who are expected to canvass the party for a coalition with the Democratic Alliance in a bartering exchange of the metros and hung municipalities. In the other corner, treasurer general Paul Mashatile and possibly deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte, who will be advocating that the ANC takes its chances with the smaller parties and Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters. Quoting former ANC president Oliver Tambo, who said the “enemy is not necessarily doing everything wrongly. You may take his right tactics and use them to your advantage”, Eastern Cape ANC chairperson Oscar Mabuyane [has hinted at a possible coalition with the DA]( in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro after Monday’s local government elections failed to produce an outright winner. Ramaphosa and EFF leader Julius Malema will continue to be represented by their DA ward councillor in the luxury Johannesburg suburb of Hyde Park. For the Ntabeni family in Matatiele, victory in ward 10 of the Eastern Cape municipality was certain, no matter who won the election, because all four registered candidates for the ward were brothers. Here are more [poll snippets you may have missed](. Despite the all-consuming elections, we have fulfilled our promise to not lose track of the crunch climate talks going on simultaneously. To that end, Tunicia Phillips reports that momentum is gathering for coal to be “consigned to history” at the United Nations climate talks underway in Glasgow, Scotland. The list of countries that have joined a British-led coalition to end new coal includes Botswana, Zambia, Egypt, Cameroon, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire. They are among almost 200 other countries around the world that are officially saying yes to the end of coal power — the single largest contributor to climate change. South Africa, the continent’s largest emitter, [was not among them](. The inimitable Carlos Amato took care of our front page this week, so we used a timeless oldie of his inside our pages. What a week this has been. For the country, the media and the use of the word “unprecedented”. Remember, The Ampersand is back next week. If you enjoy our work and would like to keep seeing more of it, please help us get more readers by forwarding this mailer, or any other newsletter you’ve read, to those who you think would appreciate it. Have a lovely weekend and we will return to regular programming on Tuesday. Until then, Kiri Rupiah & Luke Feltham [Support the M&G's election coverage]( [Share]( [Share]( [Tweet]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Forward]( [Share]( [Share]( Copyright © 2021 Mail & Guardian Media LTD, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive communications from the Mail & Guardian either at our website or by taking out a print subscription. Our mailing address is: Mail & Guardian Media LTD 25 Owl St BraamfonteinJohannesburg, Gauteng 2001 South Africa [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe]( here.