The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says voters will be faced with their biggest choice yet in a national election after a record number of 48 political parties met the legal requirements to contest this year’s elections.
According to the IEC, this is 19 more parties than those that contested the 2014 national elections.
The parties set to contest the national elections (in alphabetical order) are:
African Christian Democratic Party
African Congress Of Democrats
African Content Movement
African Covenant
African Democratic Change
African Independent Congress
African National Congress
African People's Convention
African Renaissance Unity
African Security Congress
African Transformation Movement
Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats
Agang South Africa
Al Jama-Ah
Alliance for Transformation for All
Azanian People's Organisation
Better Residents Association
Black First Land First
Capitalist Party of South Africa
Christian Political Movement
Compatriots of South Africa
Congress of The People
Democratic Alliance
Democratic Liberal Congress
Economic Emancipation Forum
Economic Freedom Fighters
Forum 4 Service Delivery
Free Democrats
Front Nasionaal/Front National
GOOD
Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa
Inkatha Freedom Party
International Revelation Congress
Land Party
Minority Front
National Freedom Party
National Peoples Ambassadors
National People's Front
Pan Africanist Congress 0f Azania
Patriotic Alliance
People's Revolutionary Movement
Power of Africans Unity
Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party
South African Maintenance and Estate Beneficiaries Association
South African National Congress of Traditional Authorities
United Democratic Movement
Vryheidsfront Plus
Women Forward
A new record number of parties are set to contest all provincial elections, with the largest number of parties contesting Gauteng (36) and the smallest number contesting the Northern Cape (21).
The following parties will contest the provincial elections:
Parties contesting Eastern Cape Legislature:
African Change Academy
African Christian Democratic Party
African Content Movement
African Covenant
African Independent Congress
African National Congress
African People's Convention
African Transformation Movement
Al Jama-Ah
Alliance for Transformation for All
Azanian People's Organisation
Christian Political Movement
Congress of The People
Democratic Alliance
Economic Freedom Fighters
Forum 4 Service Delivery
GOOD
Inkatha Freedom Party
International Revelation Congress
National Freedom Party
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania
People's Revolutionary Movement
Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners
Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party
United Democratic Movement
Vryheidsfront Plus
Parties contesting Free State Legislature:
African Christian Democratic Party
African Congress of Democrats
African Content Movement
African Covenant
African Democratic Change
African Independent Congress
African National Congress
African People's Convention
African Transformation Movement
Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats
Agang South Africa
Alliance for Transformation for All
Azanian People's Organisation
Congress of The People
Democratic Alliance
Economic Freedom Fighters
GOOD
Inkatha Freedom Party
National Freedom Party
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania
Patriotic Alliance
Power of Africans Unity
Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party
South African Concerned Residents Organisation 4 Service Delivery
South African National Congress of Traditional Authorities
United Democratic Movement
Vryheidsfront Plus
Women Forward
Parties contesting Gauteng Legislature:
African Christian Democratic Party
African Content Movement
African Covenant
African Democratic Change
African Independent Congress
African National Congress
African People's Convention
African Renaissance Unity
African Transformation Movement
Agang South Africa
Al Jama-Ah
Alliance for Transformation for All
Azanian People's Organisation
Better Residents Association
Black First Land First
Congress of The People
Democratic Alliance
Economic Emancipation Forum
Economic Freedom Fighters
Gazankulu Liberation Congress
GOOD
Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa
Inkatha Freedom Party
International Revelation Congress
Land Party
National Freedom Party
National People's Front
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania
Patriotic Alliance
Power of Africans Unity
Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party
South African National Congress of Traditional Authorities
United Democratic Movement
Vryheidsfront Plus
Women Forward
Zenzeleni Progressive Movement
Parties contesting KwaZulu-Natal Legislature:
African Christian Democratic Party
African Content Movement
African Covenant
African Independent Congress
African Mantungwa Community
African National Congress
African People's Convention
African Renaissance Unity
African Transformation Movement
Al Jama-Ah
Alliance for Transformation for All
Azanian People's Organisation
Black First Land First
Congress of The People
Democratic Alliance
Democratic Liberal Congress
Economic Freedom Fighters
GOOD
Inkatha Freedom Party
Justice and Employment Party
Minority Front
National Freedom Party
National Peoples Ambassadors
National People's Front
National Religious Freedom Party
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania
People's Revolutionary Movement
Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party
United Democratic Movement
Vryheidsfront Plus
Women Forward
Parties contesting Limpopo Legislature:
African Christian Democratic Party
African Content Movement
African Covenant
African Independent Congress
African National Congress
African People's Convention
African People's Socialist Party
African Renaissance Unity
African Transformation Movement
Agang South Africa
Azanian People's Organisation
Better Residents Association
Bolsheviks Party of South Africa
Civic Warriors of Maruleng
Congress of The People
Democratic Alliance
Economic Freedom Fighters
Gaza Movement for Change
Gazankulu Liberation Congress
GOOD
Inkatha Freedom Party
International Revelation Congress
Land Party
Magoshi Swaranang Movement
National Freedom Party
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania
Power of Africans Unity
Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party
South African Maintanance And Estate Beneficiaries Association
South African National Congress Of Traditional Authorities
United Democratic Movement
Vryheidsfront Plus
Women Forward
Ximoko Party
Parties contesting Mpumalanga Legislature:
African Christian Democratic Party
African Content Movement
African Covenant
African Independent Congress
African National Congress
African People's Convention
African Transformation Movement
Agang South Africa
Alliance for Transformation for All
Azanian People's Organisation
Better Residents Association
Black First Land First
Congress of The People
Democratic Alliance
Economic Freedom Fighters
Forum 4 Service Delivery
GOOD
Inkatha Freedom Party
International Revelation Congress
National Freedom Party
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania
Residence Association of South Africa
Sindawonye Progressive Party
Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party
South African National Congress of Traditional Authorities
United Democratic Movement
Vryheidsfront Plus
Zenzeleni Progressive Movement
Parties contesting Northern Cape Legislature:
Aboriginal Khoisan
African Christian Democratic Party
African Content Movement
African Covenant
African Independent Congress
African National Congress
African People's Convention
African Transformation Movement
Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats
Azanian People's Organisation
Congress of The People
Democratic Alliance
Economic Freedom Fighters
GOOD
International Revelation Congress
Khoisan Revolution
National Freedom Party
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania
Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party
United Democratic Movement
Vryheidsfront Plus
Parties contesting the North West legislature:
African Christian Democratic Party
African Content Movement
African Covenant
African Independent Congress
African National Congress
African People's Convention
African Transformation Movement
Agang South Africa
Alliance for Transformation for All
Azanian People's Organisation
Black First Land First
Congress of The People
Democratic Alliance
Economic Freedom Fighters
Forum 4 Service Delivery
GOOD
Inkatha Freedom Party
International Revelation Congress
National Freedom Party
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania
Patriotic Alliance
Reikemetse Dikgabo Party
Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party
South African Political Party
United Christian Democratic Party
United Democratic Movement
Uniting People First
Vryheidsfront Plus
Women Forward
Parties contesting the Western Cape Legislature:
African Christian Democratic Party
African Content Movement
African Covenant
African Independent Congress
African National Congress
African People's Convention
African Progressive Movement
African Transformation Movement
Al Jama-Ah
All Things Are Possible
Alliance for Transformation For All
Azanian People's Organisation
Cape Party/ Kaapse Party
Congress of The People
Democratic Alliance
Dienslewerings Party
Economic Freedom Fighters
Forum 4 Service Delivery
Free Democrats
GOOD
Independent Civic Organisation Of South Africa
Inkatha Freedom Party
Karoo Democratic Force
Khoisan Revolution
Land Party
National Freedom Party
New South Africa Party
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania
People's Republic of South Africa
Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners
Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party
The Green Party of South Africa
United Democratic Movement
Vryheidsfront Plus
Order of parties on ballot paper
The final order of parties on the ballot papers was determined by random draw during the national Code of Conduct signing ceremony, which took place on Wednesday in Johannesburg.
The Electoral Commission has informed parties of any non-compliance in respect of candidate lists, which must be rectified by 25 March.
The election timetable also provides an opportunity for the IEC to notify parties of any candidates appearing on lists of other parties by 26 March.
The affected parties have until 28 March to submit substitutes for these candidates.
The final list of candidates will be published on 29 March. At that time, more detailed statistics on candidates by province, age and gender will be made available.
The elections will be on 8 May. – SAnews.gov.za
