On May 28, 2024, South Africans headed to the polls to participate in the country’s seventh general election under universal adult suffrage since the end of the apartheid era in 1994. The election aimed to elect a new National Assembly and the provincial legislature in each of the nine provinces, marking a significant milestone in the country’s democratic journey.
The general election was a crucial event in South Africa’s political landscape, as it would determine the composition of the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) had held a parliamentary majority since the inaugural post-apartheid election in 1994, but its support had been waning in recent years. As the election got underway, it was unclear whether the ANC would be able to maintain its majority or if other parties would gain ground.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) was another major player in the election, having consistently been the second-largest party in the National Assembly. The DA had been working to increase its support base and was expected to put up a strong challenge to the ANC. Meanwhile, a new party, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), had emerged on the scene, founded just six months prior to the election by former president Jacob Zuma. The MK party’s left-wing populist platform was expected to appeal to certain segments of the electorate.
As the election took place, several smaller parties also participated, hoping to secure seats in the National Assembly. While some of these parties may not have received enough votes in the regional constituencies to win seats directly, they still had a chance to secure seats through the allocation of compensatory seats. This system allowed parties that received a significant number of votes overall to still have representation in the National Assembly, even if they did not win seats in specific regions.
The election marked a significant shift in South Africa’s political landscape, as the ANC’s support declined significantly. Although the ANC remained the largest party, it lost the parliamentary majority it had held for decades. The DA remained in second place, with a slight increase in its support. The emergence of the MK party as a third force in the election also signaled a new dynamic in South African politics. As the results of the election became clear, it was evident that the country’s political landscape had undergone a significant transformation.
As the country looked to the future, the focus would soon shift to the election of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa. The NCOP would be elected by the provincial legislatures in the coming weeks, and its composition would be crucial in determining the balance of power in the country’s parliament. As South Africans waited to see how the new political landscape would unfold, one thing was clear: the 2024 general election had marked a significant turning point in the country’s democratic journey, and the next few weeks would be critical in shaping the country’s future.
