Less than 60% of registered voters chose to cast their ballots in the 2024 national election. The turnout was the lowest in democratic South Africa’s 30-year history. In the last elections in 2019, a voter turnout of 66% was recorded.

Although the voters roll increased by over a million people since the 2019 election, fewer people headed to the polls. In 2024, 16.3-million people cast their ballot compared with 17.7-million in 2019.

The ANC received 40.18% of the vote, the DA 21.81%, the MK Party 14.58% and the EFF 9.52%.

The 2024 election was the first time voters cast 3 votes (national, provincial and regional) and had to vote at the station where they had registered.

Fifteen African countries held elections over the last 2 years. Tunisia recorded the lowest turnout at 11.4%, followed by Nigeria at 26.7%. Sierra Leone had the highest at 82.8%. Zimbabwe had a voter turnout of 67.4%.