South Africa's 2019 general election saw the ruling party's lowest vote share since 1994

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The 2019 South African general election marked a pivotal moment for the nation's political landscape. While the African National Congress retained its governing status, it faced a historic decline in support. Simultaneously, a record number of parties entered the fray, reflecting a shifting and increasingly fragmented democratic environment.

Held on 8 May 2019, the election determined the composition of the National Assembly and provincial legislatures. The African National Congress (ANC), led by incumbent President Cyril Ramaphosa, secured 57.50% of the national vote. Although this victory allowed the party to retain its majority, it represented a significant drop from the 62.15% share it held following the 2014 election. This result stands as the lowest vote share for the ANC since the inception of non-racial democratic elections in 1994.

The electoral landscape saw notable shifts among opposition groups. The Democratic Alliance (DA), the official opposition, experienced a decline from 22.23% to 20.77% of the vote. In contrast, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) saw substantial growth, rising from 6.35% to 10.80%. Smaller parties also made gains; the Inkatha Freedom Party increased its share to 3.38%, marking its first rise since 1994, while the Freedom Front Plus reached 2.38%, its highest level since its founding. The election was characterized by a record-breaking 48 parties registering candidates for the national ballot, a sharp increase from the 2014 cycle.

South Africa utilizes a parliamentary system where the National Assembly's 400 members are elected via closed-list proportional representation. The process involves allocating seats at both national and provincial levels to ensure a maximally proportional result. Following the election, the National Assembly is responsible for electing the President. This 2019 contest was particularly significant as it followed the resignation of Jacob Zuma in February 2018, leading to Ramaphosa's succession and his subsequent bid for a full term in office. The election underscored a period of political realignment, with numerous defections between parties and the emergence of new political entities like Good and the African Transformation Movement.

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