- Opposition leaders said Wednesday's election was a turning point that would bring about change.
- But current president and ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa believes he will be re-instated at the Union Buildings.
- Everything you need to know about the 2024 general election on News24 Election Hub.
Opposition leaders are seeing the election as one of imminent change, with ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa saying he has “no doubt” voters will return him to the Union Buildings.
Political party leaders were among the large crowd that turned out to vote on Wednesday.
“Today is the day South Africans will decide the future of their country and who should lead the South African government.”
“I have absolutely no doubt in my heart that the people will once again have confidence in the African National Congress to continue to lead the country,” Ramaphosa said outside a polling station.
He voted alongside his wife, Dr Tshepo Motsepe, at Hitekani Primary School in Chiawelo, Soweto.
“The South African people are going to give the ANC a solid majority in the polls today, so there's no doubt about that in my heart, in my mind and in my thought process.”
President Ramaphosa said the ANC had run a strong election campaign under his leadership.
“We have travelled up and down the country to reach out to people and encourage those who may be unsure to vote. We are rather pleased to see young people registering to vote,” he added.
Read | President Ramaphosa explains rationale for Sunday's address to the nation
President Ramaphosa said the ANC was aiming for a “clean election campaign”.
“We are committed to ensuring that democracy prevails in this election. It is our democratic process that will ultimately prevail and the ANC will reap the benefits by emerging as the winning party,” he said.
DA leader John Steenhausen, in a statement after voting in his home town of Durban, said this was a crucial election for South Africa.
“This is our only chance to make a difference,” Steenhausen said.
He called on South Africans to “seize this opportunity to end decades of ANC rule marked by unemployment, power outages, crime, corruption and failure to deliver on promises.”
“By voting for the DA, voters are choosing a path of accountability, growth and working towards a better tomorrow for all South Africans.”
Today I cast my vote in the 2024 general elections at Northwood School in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
This is a crucial election for South Africa and we can be a better country tomorrow, but only if we vote for it.
Save SA, vote DA. pic.twitter.com/GQPI7YQtGf
— Senator John Steenhuisen (@jsteenhuisen) May 29, 2024
Steenhausen said the DA's campaign “resonated with the sentiments of many voters who wanted to save South Africa and form a new government that could effectively deal with the country's challenges”.
EFF leader Julius Malema also appeared at the polling station at Mponegele Primary School in Seshego, Polokwane town, Limpopo, and described the election as a “watershed”.
“Voters decide which direction we go as a country, so you should see some change in this election,” he said in a video posted by his party on X.
“This is for you all [the media] In the interviews they say the country needs change, they need jobs, they need services. I've been listening to interviews all morning and the language is the same. There's no language like, we're voting for the jobs we got, we're voting for the housing we got, we're very happy with our government.
“No, every person you interviewed said, 'We went to school, we lost our jobs, we voted, and our community doesn't have services. We're here now to demand change, to vote to get jobs for our people.'”
Read | President Zuma votes as ANC, MK and IFP hold final campaign rallies in Nkandla
This election marks the arrival of a new force in politics: although ActionSA took part in the 2021 municipal elections, this will be the first time the party will be standing in national and provincial elections.
In a statement after voting at Sandton Fire Station in Johannesburg, party leader Herman Mashaba recalled the first time he voted in 1994. On that day, he drew a cross behind the ANC.
“At the same time, it has reminded us how the ruling party has frustrated the dreams of so many South Africans by prioritising party loyalty, party cadres and personal pockets over the needs of South Africans,” Mashaba said.
“But unless South Africans have the courage to vote for a credible alternative today, we will remain stuck with the same old leaders. [care] Let's think about ourselves first. We can't expect change unless we vote for it in this election.”
Another newcomer was Rise Mzansi, whose leader Songezo Zibi, like many other voters, had to wait in long queues for hours. Speaking in a statement ahead of the vote, he said South Africans had the opportunity to vote for their choice.
“We have the opportunity to vote for hope and change that will benefit all our communities, not just in this election cycle, but for generations to come – hope and change that will build a safe, prosperous, equal and united South Africa in a generation,” Zibi said.