The 2024 parliamentary elections in South Africa were historic as the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority for the first time since the end of apartheid. ANC secured 40.18% of the National Assembly seats, the Democratic Alliance received 21.81%, and the newly formed uMkhonto we Sizwe, led by former President Jacob Zuma, 14.58%). Female representation decreased slightly in the National Assembly. In contrast, the percentage of women elected to the National Council of Provinces increased. In the indirect presidential poll, incumbent President Cyril Ramaphosa of the ANC was re-elected for a second term.
The Republic of South Africa held its parliamentary polls on 29 May 2024. All 400 seats in the National Assembly and 54 in the National Council of Provinces were up for election. The African National Congress (ANC) secured 159 seats (40.18%), the Democratic Alliance 87 seats (21.81%), uMkhonto we Sizwe 58 seats (14.58%), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) 39 seats (9.52%), and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) 17 seats (3.85%). The 2024 parliamentary elections marked the first time since the end of apartheid that the African National Congress (ANC) lost its parliamentary majority.
On 14 June 2024, South Africa held its presidential polls. Among the candidates were the incumbent President Cyril Ramaphosa of the African National Congress (ANC), key opposition leader John Steenhuisen of the Democratic Alliance, former President Jacob Zuma of newly formed uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), and Julius Malema of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The incumbent President, Cyril Ramaphosa of the ANC, won a second term in office after securing a substantial majority in the National Assembly’s presidential vote. The President is indirectly elected by the National Assembly and may serve up to two five-year terms.
The 2024 elections witnessed a 59% voter turnout, the lowest in South Africa’s 30-year democratic history. It was a significant decline from previous polls, with 66% voter turnout in 2019 and 73.6% voter turnout in 2014. Women make up the majority of registered voters, with 55% of voters being female. The voter turnout dropped due to several factors, including widespread voter apathy and disillusionment with the political system, and fueled by ongoing issues such as corruption, economic challenges, and lack of significant improvement in living conditions. The South African political landscape has also seen fragmentation and the emergence of new parties like uMkhonto we Sizwe.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) faced a lot of pressure in the 2024 election due to claims of bias as well as pressure regarding former President Jacob Zuma’s eligibility to run under a newly formed party. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s party, the ANC, faced significant challenges this election year but was ultimately able to retain the Presidency by forming a coalition party in the National Assembly vote. Despite claims of irregularities, rigging and fear of violence by some opposition parties including former President Jacob Zuma, international and regional observers, including the African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) praised the elections for being free and fair. The 2024 election was the first under the new Electoral Amendment Act 1 of 2023, which allowed independent candidates to run for the National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies.
Women’s Political Participation
Following the 2024 parliamentary elections, female representation decreased slightly in the National Assembly, in contrast, it increased in the National Council of Provinces. In the National Assembly, 45% (177 out of 400 seats) of the members elected were women, compared to 45.3% (179 out of 400 seats) in 2019. The members of the National Assembly are directly elected for five-year terms. In the National Council of Provinces, women’s representation increased from 38.9% (21 out of 54 seats) in 2019 to 44.4% (24 out of 54 seats) in 2024. The Provincial legislatures appoint the members of the National Council of Provinces for five-year terms. Following the 2024 parliamentary elections, South Africa places 17th country globally for women’s representation in national parliaments on the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s monthly ranking. It represents a drop from the previous ranking where the country placed 11th.
South Africa does not have a legislated national-level gender quota for women’s representation in Parliament, however, it has legislated quotas at the sub-national level for women’s representation as well as voluntary party quotas, a 50% quota for female candidates representation. There have been ongoing discussions and efforts by various Members of Parliament (MPs), civil society organisations (CSOs), and advocacy groups to introduce such quotas. MPs and political leaders, particularly from parties that already implement voluntary gender quotas (like the ANC and the EFF), have expressed support for the idea of a national legislated quota. They argue that such a quota would help institutionalise gender equality in political representation and address the barriers that women face in entering and participating in politics.
Although South Africa does not have legislated quotas for women’s representation at the national level, it does have if for the sub-national level and the parties have a voluntary party quota for female candidates. The African National Congress (ANC) has a voluntary quota of 50% which was respected and exceeded in this election, achieving 52%. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) applied a ‘Zebra list’ system and though they did not achieve the 50%, they reached 48% female candidates on the list. The Zebra list system occurs when a male candidate is followed by a female candidate or vice versa on the party election list. The Democratic Alliance did not achieve the 50% quota, reaching 37% female candidates. Only 15 political parties out of a total of 52 parties on the national compensatory ballot list achieved a 50% gender representation with 41.86% of female candidates across all parties.
There was no female candidate for the presidency in the 2024 indirect polls. South Africa has never had a female presidential candidate from any major political party in a general election. None of the major political parties in South Africa are currently led by women. However, the ANC previously had Jessie Duarte, who served as the Deputy Secretary-General and the Democratic Alliance (DA) Helen Zille, who served as party leader from 2007 to 2015. There was a high female voter turnout, where women made up 55% of registered voters as well as high female representation at the polling staff on election day. All political parties have committed to gender equality.
In recent years, the number of ministerial positions has changed, as portfolios have been combined or added. In 2019 South Africa made history when women made up half of the ministerial positions. Their portfolios included Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, State Security, International Relations and Cooperation, and Environment, Forestry and Fisheries. Following the 2024 elections, women hold 14 of the 32 ministerial positions. The female ministers are:
- Ms Siviwe Gwarube, Minister of Basic Education
- Mrs Matsie Angelina Motshekga, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
- Ms Nomakhosazana Meth, Minister of Employment and Labour
- Dr Nobuhle Pamela Nkabane, Minister of Higher Education
- Ms Mmamoloko Tryphosa Kubayi, Minister of Human Settlements
- Ms Thembisile Phumelele Simelane, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development
- Ms Maropene Lydia Ramokgopa, Minister of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
- Ms Stella Tembisa Ndabeni-Abrahams, Minister of Small Business Development
- Ms Nokuzola Gladys Tolashe, Minister of Social Development
- Ms Khumbudzo Phophi Silence Ntshavheni, Minister in the Presidency
- Ms Patricia De Lille, Minister of Tourism
- Ms Barbara Dallas Creecy, Minister of Transport
- Ms Pemmy Castelina Pamela Majodina, Minister of Water and Sanitation
- Ms Lydia Sindisiwe Chikunga, Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
South Africa has many notable female political figures. Among those are Angela Thokozile Didiza, the current Speaker of the National Assembly and Chantal Revel, princess of the Koranna Royal Household of the Khoi and San First Nations people. Ms Didiza follows in the footsteps of other female speakers, such as T R Modise (elected in 2019) and Baleka Mbete (elected in 2014). She has held various ministerial positions, including Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs and advocated for the historical inequalities in land ownership in South Africa. Ms Reevel is a notable figure advocating for the rights of indigenous peoples and changing South Africa’s electoral system. She was not a candidate in the 2024 elections, however.
While women make up more than half of registered voters and more women serve in parliament and hold ministerial positions, female political leaders continue to face significant obstacles such as patriarchy, harassment and discrimination. Women politicians often face harassment and intimidation including verbal abuse, threats, character assassinations and, in some cases, physical violence, which is part of a broader pattern of gender-based violence in the country. They frequently encounter discrimination, both within their political parties and in the broader political environment. South Africa remains one of the most unequal countries in the world, with high unemployment rates particularly affecting women’s economic empowerment and participation in politics. South Africa also has one of the highest rates of violence against women and girls globally, with one in five women experiencing physical violence by intimate partners.
South Africa has adopted programmes, initiatives, and legal and policy frameworks aimed at promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in the country. Female politicians and civil society organisations have been advocating for capacity building for women to participate in politics and the adoption of a national gender quota to ensure a minimum level of women’s representation in Parliament. Organisations like the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) and the Women’s Legal Centre (WLC) have been instrumental in pushing for legal frameworks that support women’s political participation and protect their rights. Organisations such as Women’s Net and Gender Links provide training and resources to empower women candidates and help them navigate the political landscape. There is a National Policy Framework for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality which is South Africa’s Gender Policy Framework that aims to promote women’s and girl’s empowerment.
The framework ensures consideration of women’s issues in policy in policy formulation and implementation by promoting gender mainstreaming across various sectors. The Electoral Act and subsequent amendments, including the Electoral Amendment Act of 2023, have played a crucial role in shaping the political landscape to be more inclusive of women. The 2023 amendment allowed independent candidates to run for the National Assembly and Provincial Legislatures, which has broadened opportunities for women outside the traditional party structures.
The National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 sets out South Africa’s long-term economic and social development vision, with gender equality as a vital component. The NDP emphasises the importance of empowering women as a means to achieving overall national development goals. The Local Government Municipal Structures Act is another critical piece of legislation influencing women’s political participation at the local level. This Act outlines the framework for establishing municipalities and the electoral processes within local governments. I also include provisions that encourage the representation of women in municipal councils, promoting gender diversity in local governance structures. The Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act seeks to integrate traditional leadership structures into the democratic framework of South Africa. This Act is significant for women, particularly in rural areas, where traditional leaders play a crucial role in governance. South Africa has also enacted various laws supporting women’s rights, including the Domestic Violence Act, the Maintenance Act, the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act and the Choice of Termination of Pregnancy Act.
Conclusion
The 2024 general elections in South Africa marked a pivotal moment in the nation’s political history, with the African National Congress (ANC) losing its parliamentary majority for the first time since the end of apartheid. The election was marked by a low voter turnout of 59%, the lowest in 30 years, reflecting widespread voter apathy. President Cyril Ramaphosa secured a second term following the indirect presidential polls. Despite challenges, including allegations of irregularities, the elections were praised by international observers as free and fair. The 2024 election marked the first independent candidates were allowed to run for seats in the National Assembly, and provincial legislates under the new Electoral Amendment Act.
Women’s representation in politics saw both progress and challenges. The 2024 elections saw a slight decrease in women’s representation in the National Assembly, with 177 women holding seats, down from 179 in the previous term. However, the National Council of Provinces experienced an increase in female representation, rising to 24 women out of 54 seats from 21 out of 54 in the previous election. Overall, 41.86% of candidates across all political parties were female, reflecting a slight improvement from 2019. Despite these gains, South Africa’s ranking for women’s representation in national parliaments dropped to 17th globally.
While some parties, like the ANC and EFF, maintained strong gender quotas, no female candidate contested the Presidency, and major parties remained male-led. Nonetheless, women comprised 55% of registered voters, indicating strong female political engagement. Female politicians and leaders along with many civil society organisations have been instrumental in advancing women’s political participation. Although South Africa does not have a legislated quota for women’s representation at the national level, women advocates and leaders play a significant role in advocating for its adoption. Many of these groups continue to empower female candidates and work towards gender parity in South African political and public life.