There are 52 parties officially contesting South Africa’s national elections, which will be held on 29 May. The 4,272 candidates have an average age of 46, with a third younger than 40. The oldest candidates are 84 and the youngest 18.

The oldest presidential candidate is 82-year-old Jacob Zuma, the former president who is a member of uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK). The party was registered in September last year. One of the youngest is Vuyolwethu Zungula, the ATM’s 36-year-old leader.

The ANC, DA, EFF, Freedom Front+, African Transformation Movement (ATM), PAC and the United Africans Transformation parties have the most candidates with 200 each.

In the last election 5 years ago, there were 3,536 candidates from 48 parties. The candidates’ average age was 43. The oldest candidate was 90.

The National Assembly has 400 seats – 200 are assigned from the national election ballot and the rest from the regional lists.