South Africa now has 472 registered political parties

Since the May 2024 general elections, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has registered 34 new political parties, bringing the total number of registered political parties in South Africa to 472.

Of these, 287 are registered nationally, while 185 are either registered provincially or at a district or metro municipal level. 

This was revealed by IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo during a press briefing on 26 August.

In the 2024 general elections, a record number of 52 political parties contested the national ballot. Eighteen parties ultimately got representation in the National Assembly, up from 14 in the previous term.

Experts say that the large number of parties in South Africa is complex, reflecting the country’s history, diversity, and electoral rules.

After apartheid ended in 1994, the Constitution deliberately created a highly inclusive political system, lowering barriers for groups to organise politically.

The proportional representation system, which allocates seats based on vote share, allows even small parties to win seats.

Combined with South Africa’s ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity, this has encouraged the rise of regional and niche parties.

Frustration with dominant parties has also fueled fragmentation, with many splinter groups from larger parties creating new movements.

Registering a party requires just 1,000 signatures and a modest fee, making it easy for small groups to enter politics.

Professor Susan Booysen, a political analyst and professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, wrote that “the proportional representation system, combined with the low threshold for forming a party, allows for a multiplicity of voices.”

However, “it also fragments the political landscape, often reflecting deep-seated social and ideological divisions.”

Not all political parties contest the ballot, and many struggle to gain enough support to be represented, or on the ballot at all.

Speaking to Newsday earlier this year, Associate Professor Zwelethu Jolobe from the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Department of Political Studies said that unrepresented parties often struggle to maintain traction in South Africa.

Jolobe said that, given the significantly large financial pool needed for election campaigns, smaller parties often struggle to either gain or maintain significant support. Thus, they are often unrepresented after elections.

How parties register and get on the ballot

Registering a political party in South Africa requires compliance with specific procedures that vary depending on the level of registration: national, provincial, or metropolitan/district.

At the national level, applicants must complete and submit the official application form, a copy of the party’s constitution and a Deed of Foundation signed by 1,000 registered voters in support of its establishment.

A R5,000 registration fee must then be paid and then the party is registered with the IEC.

For provincial level registration, the process mirrors the national requirements but with slightly lower thresholds. Instead of 1,000 signatures, 500 registered voters must sign, and the registration fee is R3,000.

At the metropolitan or district level, the requirements remain largely the same: 300 signatures from registered voters and a R2,000 registration. National and provincial registrations are Gazetted, but the metro/district is not.

According to the Electoral Commission Act, a party that is not represented in any sphere of government must renew their registration.

Being registered does not mean the party will be on the ballot. South Africa holds national, provincial, and local elections with different rules for parties and independents to register.

National elections fill 400 National Assembly seats: 200 proportional and 200 regional. Parties must register with the IEC, submit documents, voter signatures, and pay deposits, which was R300,000 for all National Assembly ballots in 2024.

Provincial legislatures are elected proportionally, with parties paying a deposit of R50,000 per province; independents need 1,000 signatures.

Local government elections use ward and proportional seats. Parties nominate ward and PR candidates, while independents contest wards only, needing 50–100 signatures and small deposits.

The IEC said that it will convene a series of information sessions starting in November 2025 with registered but unrepresented political parties and aspiring independent candidates in preparation for the upcoming elections.