South Africa faces its most unpredictable national election of the post-apartheid era in 2024. On May 29, nearly 28 million South African registered voters had the chance to elect representatives to the national and provincial parliaments.
Top Politicians:
1. Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born November 17, 1952) is the current president of South Africa.
2. John Henry Steenhuisen (born March 25, 1976): Leader of the Official Opposition, Parliament of the Republic of South Africa; Federal Leader, Democratic Alliance (DA).
3. Julius Sello Malema (born March 3, 1981): He has led the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) since he was expelled from the ANC.
4. Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (born April 12, 1942) is a former anti-apartheid activist and member of uMkhonto we Sizwe. He served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018.
5. Hlaudi Motsoeneng (born 1968) is the leader of the African Content Movement and served as the acting chief operating officer of the South African Broadcasting Corporation from 2011 to 2013.
Key Facts:
1. South Africans do not vote for a president. Instead, they elect the 400 members of the National Assembly, who go on to vote for a new head of state within 30 days of the general election. National and provincial elections are held once every five years.
2. All South African citizens aged 18 and over are eligible to vote. The Constitution places all elections and referendums in the country in all three spheres of government under the control of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
3. The IEC says over 27.79 million voters—the highest since the dawn of democracy in South Africa—are eligible to cast their votes in the 2024 national and provincial elections.
To know more about the election, read our report here:
Why South Africa’s upcoming elections triggered deep political polarization?
