African National Congress general election results in South Africa 1994-2024

In 2024, the African National Congress (ANC) party lost the majority share in the national assembly election in South Africa, with 40.2 percent. This was the lowest share of votes recorded since the introduction of the country's first democratic election in 1994. However, the 2024 election revealed a significant change in ANC voter support, with a 17-percentage point drop from the previous election year. 

Growing challenges affecting the ANC’s popularity

South Africans are battling various issues concurrently. One of their main concerns is unemployment and job security. In May 2024, a survey conducted in 29 countries worldwide found that South Africa had the highest share of citizens who were worried about unemployment, with 67 percent. In fact, excessive power outages have exacerbated unemployment as it disrupts production, prevents businesses from growing, and weakens investment. The reduction in the ANC party’s support can be attributed to unresolved serious issues such as these.

Rise of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party was launched in December 2023 by South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma. The introduction of the MK party turned out to be a major game changer in the national and provincial elections held on May 29, 2024. For instance, support for the ANC in the KwaZulu-Natal province declined by just over 37 percent compared to the previous election in 2019. MK’s success is likely due to Zuma’s popularity as a Zulu traditionalist and his willful disregard for the established authority. Overall, the party made considerable gains in their first election and surpassed the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to place third in the 2024 national elections.