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CWA # 1406, 31 May 2024
NIAS Africa Studies
South Africa Elections 1996-2024: An Overview

  Shilpa Joseph

On 29 May, South Africa held its seventh national and provincial elections. This election marked a swift change from the 2019 election and a long way since its first election in 1994. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) lost a simple majority for the first time. While the country marks 30 years of democracy, it witnessed seven peaceful and successful power transfers. From 1994 to 2024, all seven elections have changed the country politically, socially and economically.  

A background to South Africa elections 1994-2024
In 1994, 19 political parties registered under the newly formed Independent Electoral Commission. All South Africans, a total of 19.5 million people, irrespective of race and ethnicity, were included on a common voter roll to exercise universal suffrage. On 26 April 1994, a new flag was raised and on 27 April, a new constitution and bill of rights were adopted commemorating the abolishment of apartheid. 

The major parties which contested the 1994 elections were the African National Congress (ANC), Nationalist Party (NP), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and Freedom Front (FF). The National Assembly constituted 400 seats and 201 were required to form a majority. The voter turnout was recorded at 19,745,738 people and 93 per cent participation of the younger population. The ANC won the elections securing 252 seats accounting for 62.65 per cent of the vote share. The party leader, Nelson Mandela, became the country’s first black President.

The 1999 elections saw greater support for the ANC which gained 266 seats in the National Assembly. However, Nelson Mandela declined to be president due to his age. The second election recorded a huge development for the Democratic Party, which leapt from the fifth-largest to the second-largest party. 

Thabo Mbeki won the April 2004 elections.  ANC obtained 279 seats, securing over 69.69 per cent of votes. DP came second with 50 seats and 12.37 per cent of votes. The voter turnout in 2004 dropped by 12.6 per cent. 

In 2009, South African citizens living overseas were allowed to vote after the North Gauteng High Court judgement. The ANC lost its supermajority, with 264 seats; 15 less than in 2004. During the term, Thabo Mbeki resigned and Jacob Zuma was sworn in as the leader of the party and the state. 

In 2014, the ANC’s vote share reduced to 62.1 per cent with 249 seats. Jacob Zuma was elected as the president again. The ANC won in eight of the nine provinces. The new party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), obtained 6.4 per cent of the vote.

The sixth democratic elections were held on 8 May 2019. The ANC fell by 19 seats from the previous elections, securing 57.50 per cent of votes. Cyril Ramaphosa leader of the ANC was elected as the President after Jacob Zuma’s resignation. Meanwhile, the EFF secured 44 seats, 19 more than the previous election. 

The new government after the 2024 election is expected to be South Africa’s first coalition.

From 1994 to 2024: Changes and Challenges
From 1994 to 2024, the South African political system observed several changes in terms of support for the ANC, electoral issues, and voter turnout.

1. ANC’s decline in popularity. While the ANC amassed an exceptional vote share of 62.65 per cent amounting to 252 seats in 1994, this year, they secured only 159 seats. Since 2009, there has been a gradual decline in the ANC’s popularity. The party banked on its traditional voters, having their loyalty to ANC for its role in ending the Apartheid. Whereas, the majority of younger voters are pessimistic about the ANC and its populist leaders. 

2. South Africa’s first coalition government. The 2024 elections mark a stark change in South African politics with it the first-ever coalition. The ANC has announced a National Unity Government with Democratic Alliance and several other minor parties. The MK party led by Jacob Zuma is to form the opposition alliance. While the South African Constitution has no provisions for forming a coalition, the prospects of the functioning and policies of the new government are uncertain.

3. The voter turnout. The voter turnout dropped from 86.87 per cent in 1994 to 58.57 per cent in 2024. This implies voter fluidity which always persisted and reflects the increasing challenge to democracy. The voters, predominantly the younger generation, abstained from voting rather than a change. 

4. Issues discussed during the 1994 elections and 2024 elections. Apartheid and long years of oppression were the predominant issues during the 1994 elections. Despite the end of apartheid, South African society is marked by high levels of inequality. An IMF report states that 20 per cent of the richest population holds over 68 per cent of income. The government’s inability to solve the problem and its inefficiency in implementing fiscal policies have further led to a lack of public trust in the polity. Besides, in 2024, the country grapples with a higher unemployment rate of 35 per cent, resulting in extreme poverty. It is added to poor economic growth and a high debt-to-GDP ratio. Regular power outages and the crisis have outraged the public. Several political actors are involved in corruption scandals. The underlying issues have resulted in declining public trust in existing political systems.

The seventh South African election has been a turning point since 1994. The ANC gained popular support for its role in the anti-apartheid struggle, however, it failed to hinder and address socio-economic issues while in power. Several new parties have found support and voice over the years. There is a growing political opposition to the ANC and its leadership especially from the Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters and MK. With the new coalition government, there is apprehension about how the parties would deal with ideological differences. If the new government fail to address the socio-economic issues, a complete change in South African politics is likely during the next elections.

About the author
Shilpa Joseph is a Research Intern at NIAS.

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