DA leader Mmusi Maimane says South Africans have shown that they are ready to reject the ANC after the ruling party failed to unseat the mayors in Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.

Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba on Thursday fended off a motion of no confidence brought by the ANC in his council‚ as did Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip.

"The failure of the motions of no confidence in Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) show the strength of the coalition governments in those cities. Our coalitions in these metros have withstood the ANC’s efforts to unseat us‚" Maimane said in a statement.

"Today we have shown the country the unity of purpose in liberating South Africa from the oppression of corruption and giving the country a fresh start with a new government."

Maimane said the writing was on the wall for the ANC‚ which also saw its dominance diminished in a Free State by-election in the Metsimaholo municipality.

"Along with the Metsimaholo by-election results‚ it is clear that the ANC is dead and the future of South Africa is only safe in the hands of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and opposition parties committed to fighting corruption and building a better country‚" he said.

"The advancement and realignment of South Africa’s constitutional democracy is in the making‚ where citizens reject an established liberation movement for new ideas and a caring coalition government to take them into the future."