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ANC Scrambles to Retain Control of South Africa’s Capital

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  • Big towns will be main battlegrounds in Aug. 3 vote: Mashatile
  • ANC to consider coalitions in towns it fails to win outright

South Africa’s ruling party said it’s redoubling campaigning efforts in the capital, Pretoria, which independent polls show is at risk of falling to the opposition in Aug. 3 local government elections.

The opposition Democratic Alliance won control of Cape Town, South Africa’s second-biggest city, in 2006 and now hopes to wrest the Tshwane municipality, which incorporates Pretoria, and Johannesburg, the economic hub and largest city, from the African National Congress. Three recent polls done by research company Ipsos on behalf of broadcaster eNCA show the DA is ahead of the ANC in both centers, yet will fall short of winning a majority.