South Africa's ruling ANC faces rejection from urbanites angry over poor services

By TJ Strydom PRETORIA (Reuters) - South Africa's ruling party was on track for its worst electoral performance since coming to power two decades ago, poised to lose control of a key metropolitan area in a reflection of rising anger over a stubbornly high jobless rate and a lack of basic services. Support for the African National Congress (ANC) has waned particularly among urban residents whose lives have not improved much since it toppled oppressive white rule in 1994 and who accuse President Jacob Zuma of mismanaging the economy. On Friday the ruling party was on the brink of losing control of Nelson Mandela Bay, named after the late anti-apartheid icon, to the Democratic Alliance (DA), which held 46.65 percent of the vote compared with the ANC's 40.99 percent, with 98 percent of ballots counted.

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