南非地方政府选举投票于周三深夜结束，此次选举将检验非洲人国民大会（ANC）的支持率。该党曾领导反种族隔离斗争，但在近年来遭遇了重大选举挫折。
Voting concluded late Wednesday in South Africa’s local government elections, which will gauge support for the African National Congress (ANC), the party that led the struggle against apartheid but has suffered significant electoral setbacks in recent years.
全国各地投票站于当地时间上午7点（格林威治标准时间0500）开放，于晚上9点（格林威治标准时间1900）关闭。
Polling stations across the country opened at 7 am local time (0500GMT) and closed at 9 pm (1900GMT).
预计计票工作将随即开始，早期部分结果将在整晚陆续公布，官方完整结果预计将于周四或周五出炉。
Counting is expected to start, and early partial results will be announced throughout the night, with official completed results expected Thursday or Friday.
据该国独立选举委员会（IEC）称，超过2900万人登记在全国约23700个投票站投票。
More than 29 million people registered to vote at some 23,700 polling stations nationwide, according to the country's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
据选举委员会发布的初步数据显示，截至当地时间下午5点（格林威治标准时间1500），据报约有1200万人已投出选票。
Around 12 million people were reported to have cast their ballots by 5 pm local time (1500GMT), according to preliminary figures released by the IEC.
选举机构表示，尽管当天面临一些操作性挑战，但对投票率感到鼓舞。
The elections body said it is encouraged by the voter turnout, regardless of some operational challenges they faced during the day.
大多数选民告诉安纳多卢通讯社，他们对市政基本服务下降感到不满，并投票以求改变。
Most voters told Anadolu they were dissatisfied by declining basic services in their municipalities and voted to ensure change.
“我是为改变而投票。我希望看到我社区有足够的服务供给，”索韦托居民、38岁的克里斯·马济布科说。
"I am voting for change. I want to see adequate service delivery in my community," said Chris Mazibuko, 38, a resident of Soweto.
“我们一直忍受着没有洁净饮用水、街道上污水管道泄漏的困扰。我希望我的选票能带来改变，”他补充道。
"We have been suffering with no clean drinking water and leaking sewage pipes in our streets. I hope my vote will bring change," he added.
梅费尔韦斯特居民艾莎·穆罕默德表示，公共安全是她最关心的问题。
Aisha Mohamed, a resident of Mayfair West, said public safety was her main concern.
“我们希望家庭和社区安全。我们街道上犯罪和贩毒太猖獗了。我希望我的选票算数，”她告诉安纳多卢通讯社。
"We want safety for our families and communities. There is too much crime and drug dealing on our streets. I hope my vote counts," she told Anadolu.
数十个政党参与角逐，包括非国大、主要反对党民主联盟（DA）、经济自由战士党（EFF）和因卡塔自由党（IFP）。
Dozens of political parties are contesting the elections, including the ANC, the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).
前总统雅各布·祖马的“民族之矛党”（MK Party）首次参加地方选举。
Former President Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party is competing in local elections for the first time.
由纳尔逊·曼德拉领导、在1994年南非首次民主选举中获胜的非国大，在未分享权力的情况下统治该国近三十年，随后失去了议会多数席位。在2021年市政选举中，该党的全国得票率跌破50%。
The ANC, which Nelson Mandela led to victory in South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994, governed the country for nearly three decades without sharing power before losing its parliamentary majority. In the 2021 municipal elections, the party's nationwide vote share fell below 50%.
在2024年大选中，该党再遭挫折，首次失去国家议会多数席位，随后与民主联盟及其他政党组建了民族团结政府。
It suffered another setback in the 2024 general elections, losing its national parliamentary majority for the first time and subsequently forming a government of national unity with the DA and other parties.