In South Africa, electoral outcomes are often determined by the popularity of political parties, yet certain individuals wield significant influence in shaping the narrative.
Although the elections are here, it is worthy of note that South Africans do not directly vote for their president.
Instead, they elect 400 members of the National Assembly, who subsequently choose the president through a simple majority vote – 201 or more votes are required to secure the presidency.
Below are the major political parties that make up the National Assembly in South Africa and their representatives;
- African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP)
- Al-Jama-ah (ALJAMA AH)
- African Independent Congress (AIC)
- African National Congress (ANC)
- African Transformation Movement (ATM)
- Congress of the People (COPE)
- Democratic Alliance (DA)
- Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)
- Freedom Front Plus (FF +)
- Good Party (GOOD)
- Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)
- National Freedom Party (NFP)
- Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC)
- United Democratic Movement (UDM)
For the presidential election, these candidates are vying for the seat of the president of South Africa.
- Cyril Ramaphosa (African National Congress (ANC)
- John Steenhuisen (Democratic Alliance (DA)
- Julius Malema (Economic Freedom Party (EFF)
Barred by South Africa’s top court, Jacob Zuma representing uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) was disqualified from running in the general election.
“It is declared that Mr. Zuma was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months’ imprisonment … and is accordingly not eligible to be a member of, and not qualified to stand for election to, the National Assembly,” the ruling stated.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa stated that Zuma’s photograph would remain on the ballot paper, as he remains the registered leader of MK. However, his name would be excluded from the list of parliamentary candidates nominated by MK.
Other prominent contenders include former Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane, who now leads Build One South Africa, a new liberal party.
Herman Mashaba, the former Mayor of Johannesburg who amassed his wealth through the sale of African haircare products before entering politics, heads ActionSA. The party has forged a coalition with the DA, with Mashaba self-styling as a “capitalist crusader.”
This coalition also features the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) led by Velenkosini Hlabisa, who succeeded the party’s controversial late leader, Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
Furthermore, a member of the coalition is the Afrikaner Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) party, led by Pieter Groenewald.
Former journalist Songezo Zibi leads Rise Mzansi, a centre-left group, while Gayton Mckenzie, a former convict turned motivational speaker, heads the right-wing, anti-immigration Patriotic Alliance.