Next South African general election

Next South African general election

By 2029

All 400 seats to the National Assembly
201 seats needed for a majority
 
Leader Cyril Ramaphosa TBD Jacob Zuma
Party ANC DA MK
Last election 40.18%, 159 seats 21.81%, 87 seats 14.58%, 58 seats

 
Leader Julius Malema Velenkosini Hlabisa Gayton McKenzie
Party EFF IFP PA
Last election 9.52%, 39 seats 3.85%, 17 seats 2.06%, 9 seats

Incumbent President

Cyril Ramaphosa
Government of National Unity



The next South African general election will be held by 2029 to elect a new National Assembly as well as the provincial legislature in each province of South Africa. They will be the eighth elections held under the conditions of universal adult suffrage since the end of the apartheid era in 1994.

Date

The South African Constitution mandates that national and provincial general elections must be held at least once every five years. Specifically, the elections must take place within 90 days of the date the National Assembly's five-year term expires or is dissolved. The most recent general election was held on 29 May 2024. This means the next general election for the National Assembly and provincial legislatures is constitutionally due to occur by mid-2029.[1]

Electoral system

The electoral system used in the 2029 election is expected to change based on the recommendations of the Electoral Reform Consultation Panel.[2]

Opinion polls

Polling Organisation Fieldwork Date Sample
Size
ANC DA MK EFF IFP Others Don't
Know[a]
Lead
Social Research Foundation[3] 27 October - 14 November 2025 1,002 37% 32% 8% 7% 6% N/a N/a 5
Social Research Foundation[4] June 2025 N/a 40% 26% 18% 3% 3% N/a N/a 14
IRR[5] March - April 2025 807 29.7% 30.3% 15.9% 10.2% 1.7% 0.6
Social Research Foundation[4] February 2025 N/a 32% 25% 12% 6% 3% N/a N/a 7
IRR[5] September - October 2024 41.3% 22.3% 11.6% 6.9% 5.5% 19
Social Research Foundation[4] September 2024 N/a 45% 24% 12% 6% 5% N/a N/a 21
2024 general election 29 May 2024 N/a 40.2% 21.8% 14.6% 9.5% 3.9% 10.0% N/a 18.4

Notes

  1. ^ Includes abstention and no answer responses

References

  1. ^ "Elections | South African Government". www.gov.za. Retrieved 2025-11-02.
  2. ^ Electoral Reform Consultation Panel. "Electoral Reform Consultation Panel Final Report" (PDF).
  3. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: ANC, DA Neck-And-Neck One Year Out of Critical Local Government Poll". The Common Sense.
  4. ^ a b c "South Africa's Biggest Political Party Regains Ground, Poll finds". Bloomberg.
  5. ^ a b Pretorius, Hermann (April 2025). "Pro-Growth or Pro-Poverty: Findings of IRR Polling April 2025" (PDF). South African Institute of Race Relations.