This year South Africa marks 30 years of democracy and its seventh national election on Wednesday, 29 May 2024. The election is touted as one of the most competitive elections since the establishment of democracy. Various polls predict that the African National Congress (ANC) which has governed the country since 1994, may lose its majority. As voters head to the polls, 315 political parties are registered for the election at national and provincial levels. How will voters make their choices? What factors are likely to influence their decision making?

The latest research by the Centre for Social Development in Africa (CDSA), shows that voter choice is not based on only one factor but a combination of many complex and intersecting factors. Social attitudes, political beliefs, socio-economic issues and a desire for a better life are but some of the reasons for their party-political preferences. The research shares findings from the latest survey on voting behaviour, which tries to answer the question why people vote the way they do. The research report titled ‘Factors determining voter choice in South Africa’s 2024 national general elections’ is co-authored by Leila Patel, Yolanda Sadie and Jaclyn de Klerk, at the University of Johannesburg VOTER CHOICE RESEARCH BRIEF

The results of the 2023 survey are compared with findings from four previous surveys conducted in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Research brief by the University of Pretoria