2004 South African general election

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2004 South African general election
Flag of South Africa.svg
  1999 14 April 2004 2009  

All 400 seats in the National Assembly
201 seats needed for a majority
Registered20,674,926
Turnout76.70% (Decrease2.svg 12.60pp)
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Thabo Mbeki - World Economic Forum on Africa 2008 (cropped).jpg
TonyLeon.jpg
Mangosuthu Buthelezi, May 2019 (cropped).png
Leader Thabo Mbeki Tony Leon Mangosuthu Buthelezi
Party ANC DA IFP
Last election66.35%, 266 seats9.56%, 38 seats [lower-alpha 1] 8.58%, 34 seats
Seats won2795028
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 13Increase2.svg 12Decrease2.svg 6
Popular vote10,880,9151,931,2011,088,664
Percentage69.69%12.37%6.97%
SwingIncrease2.svg 3.34ppIncrease2.svg 2.81ppDecrease2.svg 1.61pp

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
 
Bantu Holomisa.png
Patricia de Lille, March 2011.jpg
Marthinus van Schalkwyk crop.jpg
Leader Bantu Holomisa Patricia de Lille Marthinus van Schalkwyk
Party UDM ID NNP
Last election3.42%, 14 seatsDid not exist6.87%, 28 seats
Seats won977
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 5New partyDecrease2.svg 21
Popular vote355,717269,765257,824
Percentage2.28%1.73%1.65%
SwingDecrease2.svg 1.14ppNew partyDecrease2.svg 5.22pp

2004 South African general election.svg

President before election

Thabo Mbeki
ANC

Elected President

Thabo Mbeki
ANC

General elections were held in South Africa on Wednesday, 14 April 2004. [1] The African National Congress (ANC) of President Thabo Mbeki, which came to power after the end of the apartheid system in 1994, was re-elected with an increased majority.

Contents

These were the third elections held since the end of the apartheid era. The South African National Assembly consists of 400 members, elected by proportional representation. [2] 200 members are elected from national party lists, the other 200 are elected from party lists in each of the nine provinces. The President of South Africa is chosen by the National Assembly after each election.

The ANC, which has been in power since 1994, obtained 69.7% of votes cast on the national ballot, theoretically allowing them to change the constitution.

Some 20.6-million people were registered for the 2004 general elections, which was about 2 million more than in 1999. [3] About 76% of registered voters took part in the election, with the ANC receiving 69.7% of the votes cast. However, only 56% of eligible voters (South African citizens of voting age) took part in the 2004 election, which means that the ANC received votes from only about 38% of all eligible voters. [4] [5]

The year 2004 saw an increase in voter abstention and there was at least one high-profile election and registration boycotts campaign, the No Land! No House! No Vote! Campaign. [6] [7] A major electoral issue during the election was the dominance of the ANC; detractors of the ANC, most notably the Democratic Alliance, argued that the party's political dominance posed a threat to the country's democratic institutions and that voters should therefore vote for opposition parties. [8]

The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, also obtained an increased percentage on the national ballot, most likely from former supporters of the New National Party (NNP), possibly losing some support to Patricia de Lille's new Independent Democrats. The NNP, a descendant of the ruling party of the apartheid era, collapsed and lost most of their support, dropping from 6.9% in 1999 to 1.7% (it was 20.4% in 1994), many of their supporters being unhappy with their alliance with the ANC. The NNP alliance with the ANC allowed the ANC gain control of the Western Cape and City of Cape Town; following the election the NNP elected to dissolve and merge with the ANC. [9]

The Independent Democrats surprised many observers by obtaining more votes than the New National Party, becoming the fifth largest party. The Inkatha Freedom Party lost some support, including the majority in their stronghold province of Kwazulu-Natal, while the United Democratic Movement also lost support, barely hanging on as opposition in their stronghold, the Eastern Cape.

Events

A corruption scandal dubbed "Oilgate" by the South African media surfaced when it was reported that R11 million was transferred from the state owned PetroSA to help fund the African National Congress' election campaign. [10] [11] Following the election the Mail and Guardian newspaper was controversially gagged from publishing a report on the Oilgate scandal. [12]

National Assembly results

National Assembly (South Africa) seats 2004.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
African National Congress 10,880,91569.69279+13
Democratic Alliance 1,931,20112.3750+12
Inkatha Freedom Party 1,088,6646.9728−6
United Democratic Movement 355,7172.289−5
Independent Democrats 269,7651.737New
New National Party 257,8241.657−21
African Christian Democratic Party 250,2721.607+1
Freedom Front Plus 139,4650.8940
United Christian Democratic Party 117,7920.7530
Pan Africanist Congress 113,5120.7330
Minority Front 55,2670.352+1
Azanian People's Organisation 39,1160.2510
Christian Democratic Party 17,6190.110New
National Action 15,8040.100New
Peace and Justice Congress 15,1870.100New
Socialist Party of Azania 14,8530.1000
New Labour Party 13,3180.090New
United Front 11,8890.080New
Employment Movement for South Africa10,4460.070New
The Organisation Party7,5310.050New
Keep It Straight and Simple Party 6,5140.0400
Total15,612,671100.004000
Valid votes15,612,67198.42
Invalid/blank votes250,8871.58
Total votes15,863,558100.00
Registered voters/turnout20,674,92676.73
Source: Election Resources

Contested seat

When the official results were released, the ACDP successfully challenged the outcome. As a result, one of the two seats AZAPO won initially was handed over to the ACDP. [13]

Provincial legislature results

Elections for the nine provincial parliaments were held at the same time as for the National Assembly.

Party EC FS G KZN L M NW NC WC
African National Congress 512551384527272119
Democratic Alliance 53157222312
Inkatha Freedom Party 230
United Democratic Movement 61111
African Christian Democratic Party 112112
New National Party 25
Independent Democrats 123
Freedom Front Plus 11111
United Christian Democratic Party 3
Pan Africanist Congress 11
Minority Front 2
Total633073804930333042

Eastern Cape

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
African National Congress 1,768,98779.2751+4
United Democratic Movement 205,9939.236−3
Democratic Alliance 163,7857.345+1
Pan Africanist Congress 22,3241.0010
African Christian Democratic Party 17,3720.7800
Independent Democrats 17,3140.780New
New National Party 14,0840.630−2
Freedom Front Plus 5,6920.2600
Inkatha Freedom Party 4,3730.2000
Azanian People's Organisation 3,8840.170New
Socialist Party of Azania 3,3560.150New
United Christian Democratic Party 2,7070.120New
National Action 1,6720.070New
Total2,231,543100.00630
Valid votes2,231,54398.75
Invalid/blank votes28,3601.25
Total votes2,259,903100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,849,48679.31
Source: Election Resources

Free State

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
African National Congress 827,33881.78250
Democratic Alliance 85,7148.473+1
Freedom Front Plus 24,9462.4710
African Christian Democratic Party 13,1191.301+1
Pan Africanist Congress 11,9691.1800
Dikwankwetla Party 9,8060.970New
United Democratic Movement 8,9470.8800
New National Party 8,2950.820−2
United Christian Democratic Party 7,8250.7700
Independent Democrats 5,2890.520New
Azanian People's Organisation 3,5710.350New
Inkatha Freedom Party 3,5630.3500
National Action 1,2240.120New
Total1,011,606100.00300
Valid votes1,011,60698.46
Invalid/blank votes15,7951.54
Total votes1,027,401100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,321,19577.76
Source: Election Resources

Gauteng

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
African National Congress 2,331,12168.4051+1
Democratic Alliance 708,08120.7815+2
Inkatha Freedom Party 85,5002.512−1
African Christian Democratic Party 55,9911.6410
Independent Democrats 51,9211.521New
Freedom Front Plus 45,6481.3410
United Democratic Movement 33,6440.9910
Pan Africanist Congress 29,0760.851+1
New National Party 25,9920.760−3
United Christian Democratic Party 8,8570.2600
Azanian People's Organisation 8,6700.2500
Christian Democratic Party 7,7730.230New
National Action 4,7120.140New
Peace and Justice Congress 3,2080.090New
Socialist Party of Azania 3,1910.0900
Economic Freedom Movement1,8620.050New
Pro-Death Penalty Party1,8250.050New
Black People's Convention1,2360.040New
Total3,408,308100.00730
Valid votes3,408,30898.73
Invalid/blank votes43,9171.27
Total votes3,452,225100.00
Registered voters/turnout4,650,59474.23
Source: Election Resources

KwaZulu-Natal

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
African National Congress 1,287,82346.9838+6
Inkatha Freedom Party 1,009,26736.8230−4
Democratic Alliance 228,8578.357+1
Minority Front 71,5402.6120
African Christian Democratic Party 48,8921.782+1
United Democratic Movement 20,5460.7510
New National Party 14,2180.520−3
Independent Democrats 13,5560.490New
Freedom Front Plus 7,7640.2800
Azanian People's Organisation 7,0610.2600
Pan Africanist Congress 5,1180.1900
Socialist Party of Azania 5,0230.1800
Christian Democratic Party 4,9800.180New
Izwi Lethu Party4,8580.180New
United Christian Democratic Party 3,9210.140New
Peace and Development Party3,1540.120New
Royal Loyal Progress3,1410.110New
Independent African Movement1,5460.060New
Total2,741,265100.00800
Valid votes2,741,26598.52
Invalid/blank votes41,3001.48
Total votes2,782,565100.00
Registered voters/turnout3,819,86472.84
Source: Election Resources

Limpopo

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
African National Congress 1,439,85389.1845+1
Democratic Alliance 57,9303.592+1
United Democratic Movement 27,7801.7210
African Christian Democratic Party 20,4181.2610
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania 15,2220.940−1
Alliance for Democracy and Prosperity9,9330.620New
Freedom Front Plus 9,7240.6000
Ximoko Party 9,5870.5900
Azanian People's Organisation 8,2040.5100
New National Party 7,4430.460−1
United Christian Democratic Party 3,4770.220New
Independent Democrats 2,7300.170New
National Action 2,2130.140New
Total1,614,514100.00490
Valid votes1,614,51498.66
Invalid/blank votes21,9471.34
Total votes1,636,461100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,187,91274.80
Source: Election Resources

Mpumalanga

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
African National Congress 959,43686.3027+1
Democratic Alliance 77,1196.942+1
Freedom Front Plus 13,7321.2410
African Christian Democratic Party 12,0651.0900
United Democratic Movement 11,1611.000−1
Inkatha Freedom Party 10,6430.9600
Pan Africanist Congress 7,6680.6900
Sindawonye Progressive Party5,9250.5300
New National Party 5,1220.460−1
Independent Democrats 3,4060.310New
Azanian People's Organisation 2,1130.1900
United Christian Democratic Party 1,8780.1700
Socialist Party of Azania 1,4240.130New
Total1,111,692100.00300
Valid votes1,111,69298.42
Invalid/blank votes17,7921.58
Total votes1,129,484100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,442,47278.30
Source: Election Resources

North West

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
African National Congress 1,048,08980.71270
United Christian Democratic Party 110,2338.4930
Democratic Alliance 64,9255.002+1
Freedom Front Plus 17,1231.3210
African Christian Democratic Party 15,1381.1700
United Democratic Movement 12,5130.9600
Pan Africanist Congress 10,9230.8400
Independent Democrats 5,7090.440New
New National Party 5,5920.430−1
Azanian People's Organisation 3,7180.290New
Inkatha Freedom Party 3,2110.2500
National Action 1,3890.110New
Total1,298,563100.00330
Valid votes1,298,56398.24
Invalid/blank votes23,2241.76
Total votes1,321,787100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,749,52975.55
Source: Election Resources

Northern Cape

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
African National Congress 219,36568.8321+1
Democratic Alliance 35,29711.083+2
New National Party 23,9707.522−6
Independent Democrats 22,4857.062New
African Christian Democratic Party 5,9951.881+1
Freedom Front Plus 4,9481.5510
Azanian People's Organisation 1,6450.5200
United Democratic Movement 1,4310.4500
Pan Africanist Congress 1,3810.4300
United Christian Democratic Party 1,0420.330New
Inkatha Freedom Party 7510.2400
Cape People's Congress3920.120New
Total318,702100.00300
Valid votes318,70298.40
Invalid/blank votes5,1921.60
Total votes323,894100.00
Registered voters/turnout433,59174.70
Source: Election Resources

Western Cape

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
African National Congress 709,05245.2519+1
Democratic Alliance 424,83227.1112+7
New National Party 170,46910.885−12
Independent Democrats 122,8677.843New
African Christian Democratic Party 53,9343.442+1
United Democratic Movement 27,4891.7510
Africa Muslim Party 11,0190.700New
New Labour Party 10,5260.670New
Freedom Front Plus 9,7050.6200
Pan Africanist Congress 6,5240.4200
United Christian Democratic Party 3,5750.230New
Green Party of South Africa 3,3170.210New
Peace and Justice Congress 3,2780.210New
National Action 2,2480.140New
Inkatha Freedom Party 2,2220.1400
Cape People's Congress1,9600.130New
Azanian People's Organisation 1,4550.090New
Moderate Independent Party9530.060New
Peace and Development Party7890.050New
Universal Party 7350.050New
Total1,566,949100.00420
Valid votes1,566,94999.02
Invalid/blank votes15,5540.98
Total votes1,582,503100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,220,28371.27
Source: Election Resources

NCOP seats

The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) consists of 90 members, ten elected by each provincial legislature. The Members of NCOP have to be elected in proportion to the party membership of the provincial legislature.

Determination of delegates to the National Council of Provinces after the 14 April 2004 provincial elections [14]
PartyDelegate type EC FS G KZN L M NW NC WC Total
ANC Permanent4443554423565
Special44324443230
DA Permanent1111111121012
Special112
IFP Permanent1235
Special22
ID Permanent112
Special11
NNP Permanent112
ACDP Special11
FF Plus Permanent11
United Christian Democratic Party Permanent11
UDM Permanent11
Total10101010101010101090

Notes to the tables

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