The Electoral Commission has declared the 2024 National and Provincial Elections free and fair.

This paves the way for the seventh administration, which will lead South Africa for the next five years.

The results were declared during a ceremony at the national Results Operations Centre on Sunday, attended by, among others, President Cyril Ramaphosa.

IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya says these elections were the most difficult and most highly contested since 1994, but he says despite many challenges, and even attacks on the commission, they never sought to waiver in their commitment to voters.

South Africans on 29 May voted using three ballots for the first time because of the inclusion of independent candidates on the ballot. These were the National Ballot, National Regional Ballot and the Provincial Legislature Ballot.

No less than 16 million South Africans made their mark, translating into a voter turnout of 58.61%.

The parties which received the most votes and thus garnered seats in the 400-member National Assembly are as follows:

• African National Congress (ANC) – 159 seats.
• Democratic Alliance (DA) – 87 seats.
• uMkhonto weSizwe party (MK party) – 58 seats.
• Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – 39 seats.
• Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) – 17 seats.
• Patriotic Alliance (PA) – 9 seats.
• Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) – 6 seats.
• ActionSA – 6 seats.
• African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) – 3 seats.
• United Democratic Movement (UDM) – 3 seats.
• African Transformation Movement (ATM) – 2 seats.
• Al Jama-ah – 2 seats.
• Build One South Africa (BOSA) – 2 seats.
• National Coloured Congress (NCC) – 2 seats.
• Rise Mzansi – 2 seats
• GOOD Party – 1 seat
• Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) – 1 seat
• United Africans Transformation (UTM) – 1 seat

Winners of the National Assembly votes by each region are as follows:

• Eastern Cape – ANC with 62.42% of the vote, 16 seats.
• Free State – ANC with 52.56% of the vote, 6 seats.
• Gauteng – ANC with 34.62% of the vote, 17 seats.
• KwaZulu-Natal – MK Party with 44.91% of the vote, 19 seats
• Mpumalanga – ANC with 51.31% of the vote, 8 seats.
• Northern Cape – ANC with 49.47% of the vote, 3 seats.
• Limpopo – ANC with 73.38% of the vote, 16 seats.
• North West – ANC 58.29% of the vote, 8 seats.
• Western Cape – DA with 53.37% of the vote, 14 seats

The winners of the provincial legislatures are as follows:

• Eastern Cape – ANC to lead the legislature with 45 seats won.
• Free State – ANC to lead the legislature with 16 seats won.
• Gauteng – ANC to lead the legislature with 28 seats won.
• KwaZulu-Natal – MK Party to lead the legislature with 37 seats won.
• Mpumalanga – ANC to lead the legislature with 27 won.
• Northern Cape – ANC to lead the legislature with 15 seats won
• Limpopo – ANC to lead the legislature with 48 seats won.
• North West – ANC to lead the legislature with 23 seats won.
• Western Cape – DA to lead the legislature with 24 seats won.

“After carefully considering the extensive measures put in place and acknowledging the provisions of section 57(3) of the Electoral Act 1998, the commission declares the results of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections, free and fair.” IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya said during the results announcement programme.

The list of elected public representatives was handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa at the ceremony.

On Thursday, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo is expected to officially receive the lists of designated Members of Parliament from the IEC in preparation for the first sitting of the National Assembly, which he will preside over.