2014 South African general election
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| 2014 South African general election | |
|---|---|
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| Election name | 2014 South African general election |
| Country | South Africa |
| Type | Parliamentary |
| Previous election | 2009 South African general election |
| Previous year | 2009 |
| Next election | 2019 South African general election |
| Next year | 2019 |
| Election date | 7 May 2014 |
| Seats for election | 400 seats in the National Assembly |
| Majority seats | 201 |
| Turnout | 73.48% |
2014 South African general election was held on 7 May 2014 to elect the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures of Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, and Western Cape. The election determined the composition of the 5th National Assembly since the end of Apartheid and the winner of the national popular vote formed the cabinet via the president chosen by the Assembly. Major participants included the African National Congress, Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters, Inkatha Freedom Party, and smaller parties such as the Congress of the People, Freedom Front Plus, and African Christian Democratic Party.
Background
The election occurred against the legacy of Nelson Mandela's presidency and the long tenure of Jacob Zuma as president and leader of the ANC. National debates referenced the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Freedom Charter, and policies from the Reconstruction and Development Programme era. Economic context involved discussions of the National Development Plan (South Africa) proposed by the National Planning Commission, debates about Black Economic Empowerment, and protests in Marikana after the Marikana massacre which implicated Lonmin. Labor issues involved unions such as the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the National Union of Mineworkers. Service delivery protests in municipalities including Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Port Elizabeth influenced regional dynamics. Internationally, observers from the Commonwealth of Nations, the African Union, and the European Union monitored the process alongside delegations from the United States Department of State, United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and United Nations representatives.
Electoral system
South Africa used a closed-list proportional representation system for the National Assembly with 400 seats: 200 allocated from national lists and 200 from provincial lists under the Electoral Commission of South Africa. The voting mechanism followed the Constitution of South Africa provisions and the Electoral Act; seats were apportioned with the Droop quota variant and the Largest remainder method ensuring proportionality. Voters cast ballots for parties rather than individual candidates, similar to systems used in Israel, Netherlands, and Belgium. Provincial legislatures used comparable lists for the nine provinces, affecting appointments of premiers and provincial executive councils influenced by parties like the DA in Western Cape and the Economic Freedom Fighters in Gauteng.
Campaigns and parties
Major party campaigns featured leaders such as Jacob Zuma for the African National Congress, Helen Zille for the DA, and Julius Malema for the newly formed Economic Freedom Fighters. Smaller party leaders included Mangosuthu Buthelezi of the Inkatha Freedom Party, Mosiuoa Lekota of the Congress of the People, Pieter Mulder of the Freedom Front Plus, and Kenneth Meshoe of the African Christian Democratic Party. Campaign themes included service delivery in Soweto, land reform referencing Robert Sobukwe-era debates, HIV/AIDS policy linked to histories involving Thabo Mbeki and Aaron Motsoaledi, crime reduction strategies citing the South African Police Service, and education reforms tied to the Department of Basic Education (South Africa). Media and communications involved outlets such as the South African Broadcasting Corporation, eNCA, Mail & Guardian, The Citizen (South Africa), and Daily Maverick. Civil society groups including Treatment Action Campaign, Black Sash, and Right2Know Campaign contributed to issue framing, while business organizations such as the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and Business Leadership South Africa issued policy platforms.
Opinion polling
Polling organizations like MarkData, Ipsos South Africa, TNS Research Surveys, and the South African Institute of Race Relations published regular surveys showing trends between the ANC and the DA, with emergent support for the Economic Freedom Fighters after its launch. Polls sampled electorates in metropolitan centers such as Pretoria, Durban, Bloemfontein, and Polokwane, and among demographics influenced by media including Sowetan readership. International poll watchers compared methodologies to those used in United States presidential election polling and United Kingdom general election polling standards.
Results
The African National Congress won a reduced majority, securing 62.15% of the vote and retaining a majority in the National Assembly with 249 seats, down from its 2009 tally. The DA increased its share to 22.23% and obtained 89 seats, strengthening positions in Western Cape and urban municipalities like Nelson Mandela Bay. The Economic Freedom Fighters entered parliament with 6.35% and 25 seats, principally drawing votes in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and some townships. The Inkatha Freedom Party maintained representation, while the Congress of the People and United Democratic Movement saw diminished support. Voter turnout was approximately 73.48%, with spoiled ballots and independent candidates contributing minor variances in seat allocation. Provincial outcomes shifted the control of several legislatures and influenced premiers nominated by the Assembly.
Reactions and aftermath
Domestic reactions included statements from Jacob Zuma affirming the ANC mandate, and responses from Helen Zille and Julius Malema critiquing policy directions. International leaders such as Barack Obama, David Cameron, Jacob Zuma's counterparts in the African Union, and envoys from the European Union sent congratulatory or cautious messages. The Electoral Commission of South Africa addressed complaints and validated results; the Constitutional Court of South Africa framework governed dispute resolution although major legal challenges were limited. Coalition negotiations in municipal arenas involved parties like the DA forming alliances with the Freedom Front Plus and local movements to govern metros including City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.
Analysis and legacy
Analysts from institutions such as the Institute for Security Studies (South Africa), the Human Sciences Research Council, and the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluated the election as a signal of gradual party realignment and rising multiparty competition similar to trends observed in Brazilian general election shifts and fragmentation in European Parliament politics. The entrance of the Economic Freedom Fighters was compared to populist movements linked to leaders like Hugo Chávez and Evo Morales in discussions of radical economic redistribution and land expropriation debates referencing Expropriation without compensation (South Africa). Long-term effects included pressure on the African National Congress to reform internal governance structures, sparking leadership contests and debates involving figures such as Cyril Ramaphosa in subsequent years, and influencing policy dialogues on corruption allegations tied to entities like Gupta family controversies and state-owned enterprises including Eskom and Transnet.
Category:Elections in South Africa 2014