ANC Wins 159 Seats in South Africa’s 2024 General Elections, DA and EFF Follow

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) officially announced on Sunday evening that the African National Congress (ANC) has won 159 seats out of a total of 400 in the National Assembly in the 2024 general elections.

The official election results as released by the IEC at the Results Operation Center (ROC) in Midrand, Johannesburg, show that the Democratic Alliance (DA), the main opposition party, secured 87 seats in the National Assembly, followed by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party with 58 seats and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) with 39 seats.

During the announcement of the final results, IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya proclaimed the 2024 general elections as “free and fair” while describing them as “the most challenging and intensely contested” since the transition of South Africa to democracy in 1994.

He acknowledged that this year’s elections were not without difficulties, Moepya revealed that attempts were made to compromise the integrity of the IEC, but ultimately did not succeed.

Related: South Africa: The Electoral Commission (IEC) Confirms Arrests Related to Election Tampering

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said after the results were released that it “represents a victory for our democracy, for our constitutional order and for all the people of South Africa.”

“We have held another successful election that has been free, fair and peaceful,” said Ramaphosa. “Our people have spoken. As the leaders of political parties, as all those who occupy positions of responsibility in society, we have heard the voices of our people and we must respect their wishes.”

“And now, we are all called upon to recognize that the results of the election reflect the will of the people,” he further added.

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On May 29, over 27 million South Africans exercised their right to vote in the 2024 national and provincial elections, casting their ballots to elect a new National Assembly and provincial legislatures.

The newly elected National Assembly has a 14-day window to convene its first session, where its members will elect the next President of South Africa through a simple majority vote, determining the country’s leader for the next five years.