Stay up to date with live updates on South Africa's 2024 elections. Get real-time updates, breaking news and in-depth analysis as people vote. Follow us for the latest election results, expert commentary and insights on the voting process.
29/05 10:00 Welcome to the M&G's 2024 election coverage. To kick off our coverage, we've got a dedicated election coverage page for you to check out. Our dedicated staff will be out on the streets up and down the country to see how people are voting. And we'll be following key figures in politics to see what impact they'll have on this voting day.
29/05 10:40
WATCH | First-time voters Elizabeth and Abigail say it's important to vote because their vote has an impact on the country's progress.
For the latest updates, please visit https://t.co/qrjES2r99g. #ElectionDay #2024Election #SAElection24 pic.twitter.com/nfFa5XJ33Q
— Mail & Guardian (@mailandguardian) May 29, 2024
29/05 10:37 South Africans love barbecues. So much so that MK members were allegedly having one outside the entrance to Mpushini polling area in Umbumbulu during the special vote. ANC eThekweni's Thanduxolo Sabelo said the matter had been reported to the IEC and SAPS. He said voting was delayed in the area this morning but was now underway.
29/05 10:25 LIVE COVERAGE: We've got footage of some of South Africa's biggest names in politics casting their votes. See who voted below:
29/05 10:10 Is there an effort to disrupt the election?
Electoral Commission chairman Si Mamabolo told reporters on Tuesday night that law enforcement had arrested two people and that police were investigating two cases of interference in electoral procedures.
The IEC chief condemned attempts by some political parties to undermine the IEC's efforts to deliver free and fair elections. He said the commission welcomes and encourages vigilance by candidates and observers in the electoral process, but this must be done within the bounds of the law.
You can read the rest of what he said here.
29/05 10:00 D-Day is when South Africans decide which party will take power.
Millions of South Africans are expected to flock to thousands of polling stations across the country on Wednesday to cast their vote in what is billed as the most important general election since 1994 and could see the ANC lose its parliamentary majority for the first time.
The two-day special voting on Monday and Tuesday, a precursor to the main voting day on Wednesday, saw the South African Electoral Commission (IEC) grapple with a number of logistical challenges.
According to the IEC, a total of 22,626 polling station and home visits were made over the two days, processing 937,144 special voters. The commission said the figures were much higher than in past elections and commended the diligence of election staff who visited voters' homes and detention centres.
However, some opposition lawmakers who gathered at various polling stations expressed dissatisfaction about the credibility of the election following unconfirmed reports that police had delivered ballot papers to some polling stations in KwaZulu-Natal in breach of electoral rules.
Several court petitions have been filed in the run-up to Wednesday's vote.
Former president Jacob Zuma's inclusion on the ballot paper as a candidate for a seat in parliament became a bone of contention between the IEC and his Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, leading to a challenge that escalated to the Constitutional Court.
Zuma had won an appeal to the Electoral Tribunal to have his name listed as MK's candidate, but the decision was overturned by the Supreme Court just days before the election.
Analysis by private security firm Fidelity has pointed to a potential security threat in KwaZulu-Natal, following a similar notice by banking group FirstRand. News 24 A threat analysis by Police Intelligence circulated on social media in the days leading up to the election also reportedly indicated possible threats to the state's elections.
The notice said police were working with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), criminal intelligence and private security companies to prevent possible violence both on election day and after the vote on May 29.
President Cyril Ramaphosa's office said in a statement that he had informed Parliament that 2,828 South African National Defence Force members would be deployed in collaboration with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to prevent and combat crime, as well as maintain and safeguard law and order during the election period.
Click here for details
29/05 10:00 On the topic of the SANDF, here is a press release from the Office of the Presidency.
President extends employment of South African National Defence Forces to maintain law and order during election period
President Cyril Ramaphosa has informed Parliament that 2,828 personnel from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will be employed to work with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to prevent and combat crime and maintain and protect law and order during the national and provincial elections.
President Ramaphosa informed the Acting Speaker of Parliament and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces that the employment of South African National Defence Force personnel is part of Operation Prosper and applies from 20 May to 7 June 2024.
This employment is permitted under the provisions of section 201(2)(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 and section 19 of the Defence Act, 2002 (Act No. 42 of 2002).
The expenditure on this employment is estimated at R59,451,704.
29/05 10:00 X Please let us know about your voting experience @mailandguardian
We don't care if your thumbs are calloused or perfectly manicured, just put your mark and vote.
28/05 18:00 Last week, Richard Calland and Mike Rowe published a great analysis that delves into what's to come this election season. Here's what they found:
The further the ANC's approval rating falls below 50 percent, the more combinations will be on the table in the struggle to form a multiparty government. And of course, the more vulnerable the president will be to the whims of change that are always lurking in the ANC, waiting for any sign of weakness.
The poll numbers are not favorable for the ANC, but South African polls have historically tended to underestimate ANC support, especially when appropriate turnout models are taken into account.
Our view is therefore that the ANC is likely to achieve a vote share in the mid to high 40s, and the possibility of winning a 50% majority cannot still be ruled out.
28/05 16:00 If you are still undecided about who to vote for, check out what socio-economic and political content creators have to say below:
28/05 15:00
Editorial | Vote with your head this year. We can't tell you who to vote for or which party to oppose. It is your democratic duty to make a considered decision. https://t.co/dm7v17U1Ix
— Mail & Guardian (@mailandguardian) May 28, 2024
Special Vote, Image by Delwyn Verasamy