This speech was delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the occasion of the IEC declaring the 2024 National and Provincial Election Results on Sunday evening: 

The final announcement of the 2024 National and Provincial election results today represents a victory for our democracy, for our constitutional order and for all the people of South African.

We have held another successful election that has been free, fair and peaceful.

The Independent Electoral Commission has, despite many challenges, once more acquitted itself with excellence, professionalism and integrity.

Millions of South Africans have cast their votes in cities and towns, in villages and on farms, at voting stations at home and abroad.

South Africans care about their country.

South Africans have demonstrated that they want to be part of making this country a better place.

South Africans have shown how important their vote is and that they know that their vote counts.

By going to vote, the people of South Africa have taken responsibility not only for the future of themselves and their families, but for the future of their country.

Through their votes they have demonstrated, clearly and plainly, that our democracy is strong, it is robust and it endures.

They have given effect to the clarion call that has resonated across the generations, that the people shall govern.

Our people have spoken.

As the leaders of political parties, as all those who occupy positions of responsibility in society, we have heard the voices of our people and we must respect their wishes.

Over the past 30 years, we have strived together to build a country which everyone – black and white, man and women, young and old – can call home.

This election has reaffirmed building a South Africa for all remains the defining mission of our nation.

Over the course of the election campaign, parties and candidates have at times differed, often forcefully.

They have expressed a wide variety of views that are often at odds with each other.

This is a welcome and necessary feature of a robust democracy.

Yet, throughout the election campaign, parties and candidates have held fast to the fundamental principles of democracy.

Parties and candidates have affirmed the right of voters to participate in an election that is free, fair and peaceful.

And now, we are all called upon to recognise that the results of the election reflect the will of the people.

What this election has made plain is that the people of South Africa expect their leaders to work together to meet their needs.

They expect the parties for which they have voted to find common ground, to overcome their differences, to act and work together for the good of everyone.

Our people expect all parties to work together within the framework of our constitution and address whatever challenges we encounter peacefully and in accordance with the prescripts of our constitution and the rule of law.

Each party emerges from this election with a mandate based on the commitments they each made to the electorate.

However, all the parties share an over-arching mandate, to work in partnership with each other and with society more broadly, to build a country that is inclusive, united and prosperous.

As we take up our seats in Parliament and in the provincial legislatures let us appreciate that the seats we occupy do not belong to us. They belong to the people.

Whatever authority, whatever power, we are entrusted with must be exercised to advance the interests of the people.

As the 2024 election reaches its conclusion, we thank the staff and leadership of the Independent Electoral Commission, who have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of these elections, often under difficult conditions.

We pay tribute to the men and women of the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force for ensuring peace and stability during voting, and to the Home Affairs staff who ensured that as many voters as possible had their identity documents on election day.

Thank you to the independent candidates and leaders and members of the various political parties that participated in the elections.

I wish to thank all the local and international observer teams, who gave their time and effort to ensure a free and fair election.

I also thank the journalists, researchers, camera persons, producers, analysts and other members of the media, who played such an essential role in ensuring that the South African people were well informed as they went to vote.

Above all, we thank the people of South Africa for once again giving life and meaning to the values and principles of our constitutional democracy.

This is the time for all of us to put South Africa first.

The people of this country expect and deserve no less.