During the 2023 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that national and provincial elections will be held on May 29, 2024. The long-awaited date ends months of speculation over whether the vote will take place in South Africa.
The decision was taken after consultation with the South African Electoral Commission (IEC), following a meeting between Ramaphosa, the nine provincial premiers and the IEC to discuss preparations for the elections. This event coincides with 30 years of freedom and democracy in South Africa.
President Ramaphosa highlighted the importance of these elections as a celebration of their democratic journey and as a determination of the desired future for the country. He called on all South Africans to exercise their democratic right to vote and conduct peaceful, law-abiding campaigns. He also encouraged unregistered voters to use the online registration platform.
These elections come at a time when the ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), is weakened like never before since 1994, following the rise of dissident parties, corruption, the failure of public services and the deterioration of the economic situation.
The leader of the Democratic Alliance, John Steenhuisen, welcomed the setting of the poll date. His party, in coalition with other opposition parties via the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa, hopes to overthrow the ANC and retain control of the Western Cape, which it currently governs.
Steenhuisen said the elections represented a “turning point for South Africa” and came at a time when the country needed it most in three decades. He assured that the Democratic Alliance was prepared for this challenge and had worked meticulously for these elections, ready to capitalize on months of hard work across all cities and regions of the country.
This announcement signals the start of a crucial period for South Africa’s future, where every vote counts in nation building.