This will be the 6th time since all South Africans will have the privilege of deciding which political party gets to steer the nation’s course. A free and fair voting process is the cornerstone of democracy. Ordinary citizens are given the opportunity to vote for a better South Africa.
To be able to vote in the 2019 General Elections, you must be registered as a voter. You only have to register once, unless you move or your voting district boundaries changed. If you’ve voted in the past, you’re already registered.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently indicated his intention to proclaim elections before the end of May 2019 but is expected to announce the exact date in due course.
If you’re not sure about your status on the voter’s roll, you can check your registration details by sending an SMS with your ID number to 32810
Election Types
National and Provincial Elections
South Africa’s national and provincial elections take place every 5 years. Voters vote for a political party, not individuals. The political party then gets a share of seats in Parliament in direct proportion to the number of votes it got in the election. Each party then decides on members to fill the seats it has won. This is called a proportional representation voting system.
Municipal Elections
Municipal elections take place every 5 years. A mixed or hybrid system, making use of both the ward system and the proportional representation system, is used for municipal elections.