2009 South African general election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use South African English|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox election
| country = South Africa
| flag_year = 1994
| type = parliamentary
| previous_election = 2004 South African general election
| previous_year = 2004
| outgoing_members = List of National Assembly members of the 24th Parliament of South Africa
| election_date = 22 April 2009
| next_election = 2014 South African general election
| next_year = 2014
| elected_members = List of National Assembly members of the 25th Parliament of South Africa
| seats_for_election = All 400 seats in the National Assembly
| majority_seats = 201
| registered = 23,181,997
| turnout = 77.30% ({{increase}} 0.60pp)
| image_size = 130x130px
| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image = Jacob Zuma, 2009 World Economic Forum on Africa-9-2.jpg|bSize = 103|cWidth = 103|cHeight = 130|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader1 = Jacob Zuma
| party1 = African National Congress
| last_election1 = 69.69%, 279 seats
| seats1 = 264
| seat_change1 = {{decrease}} 15
| popular_vote1 = 11,650,748
| percentage1 = 65.90%
| swing1 = {{decrease}} 3.79pp
| image2 = {{CSS image crop|Image = FIFA welcome with the Premier (cropped).jpg|bSize = 140|cWidth = 103|cHeight = 130|oTop = 0|oLeft = 13}}
| leader2 = Helen Zille
| party2 = Democratic Alliance (South Africa)
| last_election2 = 12.37%, 50 seats
| seats2 = 67
| seat_change2 = {{increase}} 17
| popular_vote2 = 2,945,829
| percentage2 = 16.66%
| swing2 = {{increase}} 4.29pp
| image3 = {{CSS image crop|Image = Mosiuoa Lekota, December 1999.jpg|bSize = 103|cWidth = 103|cHeight = 130|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader3 = Mosiuoa Lekota
| party3 = Congress of the People (South African political party)
| last_election3 = Did not exist
| seats3 = 30
| seat_change3 = New party
| popular_vote3 = 1,311,027
| percentage3 = 7.42%
| swing3 = New party
| image4 = {{CSS image crop|Image = Mangosuthu Buthelezi, May 2019 (cropped).png|bSize = 105|cWidth = 103|cHeight = 130|oTop = 0|oLeft = 2}}
| leader4 = Mangosuthu Buthelezi
| party4 = Inkatha Freedom Party
| last_election4 = 6.97%, 28 seats
| seats4 = 18
| seat_change4 = {{decrease}} 10
| popular_vote4 = 804,260
| percentage4 = 4.55%
| swing4 = {{decrease}} 2.42pp
| image5 = {{CSS image crop|Image = Patricia de Lille, March 2011.jpg|bSize = 122|cWidth = 103|cHeight = 130|oTop = 0|oLeft = 5}}
| leader5 = Patricia de Lille
| party5 = Independent Democrats
| last_election5 = 1.73%, 7 seats
| seats5 = 4
| seat_change5 = {{decrease}} 3
| popular_vote5 = 162,915
| percentage5 = 0.92%
| swing5 = {{decrease}} 0.81pp
| image6 = {{CSS image crop|Image = Bantu Holomisa.png|bSize = 200|cWidth = 103|cHeight = 130|oTop = 5|oLeft = 60}}
| leader6 = Bantu Holomisa
| party6 = United Democratic Movement
| last_election6 = 2.28%, 9 seats
| seats6 = 4
| seat_change6 = {{decrease}} 5
| popular_vote6 = 149,680
| percentage6 = 0.85%
| swing6 = {{decrease}} 1.43pp
| map_image = 2009 South African general election.svg
| map_size = 390px
| title = President
| before_election = Kgalema Motlanthe
| before_party = African National Congress
| after_election = Jacob Zuma
| after_party = African National Congress
}}{{Politics of South Africa}}
File:SA elections national ballot.jpg
General elections were held in South Africa on 22 April 2009 to elect members of the National Assembly and provincial legislatures.[http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=iol1234269546566E423 Motlanthe sets election date] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213204848/http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=iol1234269546566E423 |date=13 February 2009 }} IOL.co.za, 10 February 2009 These were the fourth general elections held since the end of the apartheid era.
The North Gauteng High Court ruled on 9 February 2009 that South African citizens living abroad should be allowed to vote in elections.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7878858.stm | work=BBC News | title=Court backs S Africa expat vote | date=9 February 2009 | access-date=23 May 2010}} The judgment was confirmed by the Constitutional Court on 12 March 2009, when it decided that overseas voters who were already registered would be allowed to vote.[http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6612952.html South African registered overseas voters can vote - People's Daily Online] Registered voters who found themselves outside their registered voting districts on election day were also permitted to vote for the national ballot at any voting station in South Africa.
The result was a victory for the ruling African National Congress (ANC), which won 264 of the 400 seats in the National Assembly, a fifteen seat reduction compared to the 2004 elections and losing its two-thirds supermajority. ANC leader Jacob Zuma became president.
Background and campaign
=African National Congress – ruling party=
The African National Congress was the ruling party in parliament going into the 2009 elections, having won 69.69% of the vote at the 2004 elections. During its term in office a number of internal changes occurred, the primary one being the election of Jacob Zuma to the party presidency ahead of Thabo Mbeki at the 52nd National Conference of the African National Congress held on 18 December 2007.[http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/pr/2007/pr1219.html (Press Statement: Results for the Election of ANC Officials, 19 December 2007)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080629130037/http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/pr/2007/pr1219.html |date=29 June 2008 }} Zuma's victory in the election was partly due to the wide degree of support for him from the ANC Youth League, the South African Communist Party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions.{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}}
Subsequent to this, in 2008 Zuma's ongoing corruption trial in relation to a multi-billion Rand arms deal was dismissed by the courts, which insinuated that Mbeki had unduly influenced the investigation into Zuma. In light of the court's findings, the ANC's National Executive Committee asked Mbeki to resign as president of the country, which he duly did on 20 September 2008.
Mbeki was replaced by Kgalema Motlanthe, who had been elected as ANC deputy president at the 2007 conference. Motlanthe was not the presidential candidate of the ANC for the 2009 general election, but rather the current President of the ANC, Jacob Zuma.http://www.anc.org.za/show.php?doc=./ancdocs/pr/2008/pr0108.html {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524230625/http://www.anc.org.za/show.php?doc=.%2Fancdocs%2Fpr%2F2008%2Fpr0108.html |date=24 May 2011 }} (Statement of the ANC National Executive Committee, 8 January 2008.) The ANC National Executive Committee confirmed that "the ANC President will lead the ANC election campaign as the organisation's candidate for president of South Africa in the 2009 election." The ANC's electoral list was led by Zuma, followed by Motlanthe, Deputy President of South Africa Baleka Mbete, finance minister Trevor Manuel and Winnie Mandela, former wife of Nelson Mandela.{{cite web |title=Winnie Mandela set for fast track to power in South Africa |date=2009-03-01 |website=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812033901/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/01/winnie-mandela-mp-south-africa |archive-date=2022-08-12 |url-status=live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/01/winnie-mandela-mp-south-africa}}
The recall of Mbeki, amongst other issues, created severe tensions and splits within the party, and eventually led to the formation of the Congress of the People, a new political party formed by former ANC members. Nevertheless, most pre-poll predictions gave the ANC between sixty and seventy per cent of the popular vote; even the lowest prediction, giving the ANC 47 per cent, still rendered it comfortably South Africa's most favoured political party.Perry, Alex. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20121103034524/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1892783,00.html?xid=newsletter-daily South African Election: Why It Matters]." TIME. 21 April 2009. . Retrieved 21 April 2009.
=Democratic Alliance – official opposition =
The Democratic Alliance, South Africa's main opposition party, had undergone a leadership change, with Cape Town mayor and former anti-apartheid activist Helen Zille having succeeded long-serving Tony Leon in May 2007.
With a disproportionate focus on the Western Cape province, which it had identified as winnable, the DA launched its election campaign with the slogan "Vote to Win". It released its manifesto on 14 February.{{cite web|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Politics/0,,2-7-12_2453712,00.html|title=DA election launch in Soweto|publisher=News24|date=15 January 2009}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
The party was expected to perform strongly in the Western Cape, with analysts suggesting it would take control of the province from the ruling ANC.{{cite web|url=http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20080907082630608C621670| title=Minorities become important as polls loom | publisher=IOL|date =7 September 2008|access-date =2 July 2009}} The ANC's support in the province was on the wane, while the DA had performed well in by-elections in the province leading up to the poll.{{cite web|url=http://www.polity.org.za/article/da-helen-zille-leader-of-the-democratic-alliance-on-the-partys-victory-in-the-western-cape-by--elections-26032009-2009-03-26|title=DA: Helen Zille, leader of the Democratic Alliance, on the party's victory in the Western Cape by-elections|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604001710/http://www.polity.org.za/article/da-helen-zille-leader-of-the-democratic-alliance-on-the-partys-victory-in-the-western-cape-by--elections-26032009-2009-03-26|archive-date=4 June 2009}}
The party projected that it would govern in the Western Cape province – a task made easier by the ANC-COPE split – though it expected to need to form a governing coalition in order to do so.{{cite web|url=http://www.sabcnews.com/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=88c9d87f65f8d110VgnVCM10000072d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=Politics%20%3E%3E%20Parties|title=DA sets its sights on governing Western Cape|publisher=SABC|date=12 November 2008|access-date=13 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629001630/http://www.sabcnews.com/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=88c9d87f65f8d110VgnVCM10000072d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=Politics%20%3E%3E%20Parties|archive-date=29 June 2011|url-status=dead}} The party anticipated that it would take control of several other major cities and towns in the 2011 local elections, and, with what it termed a "realignment of SA politics", predicted it would take its "winning streak" into the 2014 elections, when it plans to challenge for the mantle of ruling party.{{cite web|url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=6&art_id=vn20081111052622481C160869| title= DA plans to rule SA from 2014 | publisher=IOL|date =11 November 2008}}
The DA's relationship with ANC breakaway party Cope started strongly. Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota showed a willingness to co-operate with Zille in the future.{{cite web|url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20081119054936918C666528| title= Lekota open to DA Alliance | publisher=IOL|date =19 November 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_South%20Africa&set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20081119114020483C805306|title=Zille backs Lekota's views|publisher=IOL|date=19 November 2008}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Subsequently, Zille criticised COPE's internal structures and suggested many of the party's new members were merely Mbeki loyalists hoping to resurrect defunct political careers.{{cite web|url=http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/News/Article.aspx?id=915900|title=Zille slams COPE as a ploy to resurrect political careers|date=10 January 2009}}{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
In the closing stages of the DA's campaign, it launched its "Stop Zuma" drive, which came under considerable criticism in the press—political analysts dubbing the tactic an example of "negative" politics. Zille later retorted, however, that what was really negative was the idea of handing over the right to change the Constitution unilaterally to Jacob Zuma and his "closed, crony network", as they would abuse that right both to enrich themselves and to protect themselves from prosecution. She later claimed the decline in the ANC's support base and the concomitant increase in that of her own party was a result of the DA 'Stop Zuma' campaign.
Electoral system
The 400 members of the National Assembly were elected by closed list proportional representation; two hundred members were elected from national party lists and 200 from provincial party lists in each of the nine provinces. The President of South Africa was chosen by the National Assembly after the election; in 2009, the presidential election was held on 6 May. The premiers of each province are chosen by the winning majority in each provincial legislature.
Boycott
A number of communities, organisations, social movements and well-known personalities threatened not to vote in the 2009 elections.
- {{cite news
|url = http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=985309
|title = 60 landless people arrested
|publisher = The Sowetan
}}{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- {{cite news
|url = http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3086&art_id=nw20090422075128792C870279
|title = Protesters refuse to vote
|publisher = IOL
}}
- {{cite news
|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8007727.stm
|title = 'One house, one vote' for South Africans
|publisher = BBC
|date = 21 April 2009
|access-date = 4 January 2010
}}
- {{cite news
|url = http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=6&art_id=vn20090419064424658C843460
|title = 'No land, no home, no vote'
|publisher = Weekend Argus
}}
- {{cite news
|url = http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4940546
|title = Feeling of change in the West Coast air
|publisher = Cape Argus
}} The most well-known personality was Archbishop Desmond Tutu who at first said he would not vote but then changed his mind.*{{cite news
|url=http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Article.aspx?id=856421
|title=Tutu: Why I Won't Vote
|publisher=TheTimes
|access-date=24 April 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008054336/http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Article.aspx?id=856421
|archive-date=8 October 2008
|url-status=dead
}}
- {{cite news
|url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=iol1240389734775T313
|title=Tutu decides to vote
|publisher=IOL
}} South Africa's Poor People's Alliance, the Anti-Privatisation Forum, NOPE, and the independent farmworkers' union Sikhula Sonke resolved to boycott the election under the banner No Land! No House! No Vote!.*{{cite news
|url = http://sacsis.org.za/site/article/245.1
|title = Elections: A Dangerous Time for Poor People's Movements in South Africa
|publisher = SACSIS
|access-date = 21 April 2009
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110428202117/http://www.sacsis.org.za/site/article/245.1
|archive-date = 28 April 2011
|url-status = dead
}}
- {{cite news
|url = http://www.abahlali.org/node/865
|title = "No Vote" Campaigns are not a Rejection of Democracy
|publisher = Mail and Guardian
}}
- {{cite news
|url = http://allafrica.com/stories/200904201398.html
|title = Farm Workers Announce Election Boycott
|publisher = AllAfrica
}}
- {{cite news
|url = http://antieviction.org.za/2009/04/21/frontpage-argus-why-we-refuse-to-vote/
|title = Why we refuse to vote
|publisher = Cape Argus
|access-date = 21 April 2009
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090424043235/http://antieviction.org.za/2009/04/21/frontpage-argus-why-we-refuse-to-vote/
|archive-date = 24 April 2009
|url-status = dead
}}
- {{cite news
|url = http://www.nope.org.za/
|title = NOPE our dreams don't fit on your ballots
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090326022934/http://www.nope.org.za/
|archive-date = 26 March 2009
}}
- {{cite news
|url = http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/9282
|title = Grassroots movements plan to boycott South African poll
|publisher = ekklesia
|access-date = 24 April 2009
|archive-date = 23 April 2009
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090423054912/http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/9282
|url-status = dead
}}
- {{cite news
|url = http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/55639
|title = Tutu: Why Steve Biko wouldn't vote
|publisher = Pambazuka
}}
- {{cite news
|url = http://www.polity.org.za/article/nope-your-vote-doesnt-make-a-difference-2009-03-31
|title = Nope your vote doesn't make a difference
|publisher = Polity
|access-date = 24 April 2009
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090427131828/http://www.polity.org.za/article/nope-your-vote-doesnt-make-a-difference-2009-03-31
|archive-date = 27 April 2009
|url-status = dead
}}
- {{cite news
|url = http://www.ngopulse.org/newsflash/farm-workers-threaten-boycott-elections
|title = Farm workers threaten boycott elections
|publisher = Polity
|access-date = 24 April 2009
|archive-date = 12 April 2021
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210412195443/http://www.ngopulse.org/newsflash/farm-workers-threaten-boycott-elections
|url-status = dead
}}
Results
{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| width = 220
| image1 = South Africa national election 2009 winner by ward.svg
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| image2 = South Africa national election 2009 winner by ward cartogram.svg
| alt2 =
| caption2 = Most popular party in each ward, depicted as a map (top), and as a cartogram in which size is proportional to the number of votes cast (bottom).
{{legend inline|#33a02c|}}{{legend inline|#b2df8a|}} African National Congress
{{legend inline|#1f78b4|}}{{legend inline|#a6cee9|}} Democratic Alliance
{{legend inline|#dfd711|}}{{legend inline|#ffff99|}} Congress of the People
{{legend inline|#e31a1c|}}{{legend inline|#fb9a99|}} Inkatha Freedom Party
{{legend inline|#ff7f00|}}{{legend inline|#fdbf6f|}} Independent Democrats
{{legend inline|#6a3d9a|}}{{legend inline|#cab2d6|}} United Democratic Movement
The darker shade indicates a majority, while the lighter shade indicates a non-majority plurality.
}}
File:Map showing the change in the ANC vote from 2004 to 2009.svg change in the ANC's share of the vote since the 2004 election
{{legend|#1b7837|37.5–50 pp to the ANC}}
{{legend|#5aae61|25–37.5 pp to the ANC}}
{{legend|#a6dba0|12.5–25 pp to the ANC}}
{{legend|#d9f0d3|0–12.5 pp to the ANC}}
{{legend|#e7d4e8|0–12.5 pp away from the ANC}}
{{legend|#c2a5cf|12.5–25 pp away from the ANC}}
{{legend|#9970ab|25–37.5 pp away from the ANC}}
{{legend|#762a83|37.5–50 pp away from the ANC}}]]
The ANC, which has been in power since 1994, obtained 65.90% of valid votes cast on the national ballot, making it just shy of being able to change the constitution. The DA retained its position as the official opposition and also won the election in the Western Cape province with an outright majority.
Some 23-million people were registered for the 2009 general elections, which was about 2.5 million more than in 2004. There was a 77.3% turnout of registered voters, 1.34% of whom spoiled their ballots rendering them invalid.{{cite web|title=IEC Election Report 2009|url=http://www.elections.org.za/content/Dynamic.aspx?id=1344&name=Elections&LeftMenuId=100&BreadCrumbId=220|publisher=IEC|access-date=21 April 2014}} About 12-million people eligible to vote either did not register to vote (about 7-million), or did register but did not vote (5.4 million).{{cite web|url=http://www.sundaytribune.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4962121| title=Building a base for a credible opposition| publisher=SundayTribune|date =3 May 2009}} In this election, there was a slight decrease in voter abstention though there was at least one high-profile election and registration boycotts campaign, the No Land! No House! No Vote! Campaign.
The Independent Electoral Commission made results available on their website as they were received from voting districts, filtered by national, provincial, municipality, and voting district.[http://www.elections.org.za/ Independent Electoral Commission]
=National Assembly=
{{Election results
|party1=African National Congress|votes1=11650748|seats1=264|sc1=−15
|party2=Democratic Alliance|votes2=2945829|seats2=67|sc2=+17
|party3=Congress of the People|votes3=1311027|seats3=30|sc3=New
|party4=Inkatha Freedom Party|votes4=804260|seats4=18|sc4=−10
|party5=Independent Democrats|votes5=162915|seats5=4|sc5=−3
|party6=United Democratic Movement|votes6=149680|seats6=4|sc6=−5
|party7=Freedom Front Plus|votes7=146796|seats7=4|sc7=0
|party8=African Christian Democratic Party|votes8=142658|seats8=3|sc8=−4
|party9=United Christian Democratic Party|votes9=66086|seats9=2|sc9=−1
|party10=Pan Africanist Congress|votes10=48530|seats10=1|sc10=−2
|party11=Minority Front|votes11=43474|seats11=1|sc11=−1
|party12=Azanian People's Organisation|votes12=38245|seats12=1|sc12=0
|party13=African People's Convention|votes13=35867|seats13=1|sc13=New
|party14=Movement Democratic Party|votes14=29747|seats14=0|sc14=New
|party15=Al Jama-ah|votes15=25947|seats15=0|sc15=New
|party16=Christian Democratic Alliance|votes16=11638|seats16=0|sc16=0
|party17=National Democratic Convention|votes17=10830|seats17=0|sc17=New
|party18=New Vision Party|votes18=9296|seats18=0|sc18=New
|party19=United Independent Front|votes19=8872|seats19=0|sc19=New
|party20=Great Kongress of South Africa|votes20=8271|seats20=0|sc20=New
|party21=South African Democratic Congress|votes21=6035|seats21=0|sc21=New
|party22=Keep It Straight and Simple Party|votes22=5440|seats22=0|sc22=0
|party23=Pan Africanist Movement|votes23=5426|seats23=0|sc23=New
|party24=Alliance of Free Democrats|votes24=5178|seats24=0|sc24=New
|party25=Women Forward|votes25=5087|seats25=0|sc25=New
|party27=A Party|votes27=2847|seats27=0|sc27=New
|total_sc=0
|invalid=239237
|electorate=23181997
|source=[http://electionresources.org/za/provinces.php?election=2009 Election Resources]
}}
=Provincial legislatures=
The following table summarises the results of the elections to the provincial legislatures. The majority party in each province is indicated in bold.
| class=wikitable style=text-align:right
!colspan=2 style=text-align:left|Party !EC !FS !G !KZN !L !M !NW !NC !WC | |
| bgcolor={{party color|African National Congress}}| | align=left|African National Congress
|44 |22 |47 |51 |43 |27 |25 |19 |14 |
| bgcolor={{party color|Democratic Alliance (South Africa)}}| | align=left|Democratic Alliance
|6 |3 |16 |7 |2 |2 |3 |4 |22 |
| bgcolor={{party color|Congress of the People (South African political party)}}| | align=left|Congress of the People
|9 |4 |6 |1 |4 |1 |3 |5 |3 |
| bgcolor={{party color|Inkatha Freedom Party}}| | align=left|Inkatha Freedom Party
| | |1 |18 | | | | | |
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent Democrats}}| | align=left|Independent Democrats
| | |1 | | | | |2 |2 |
| bgcolor={{party color|African Christian Democratic Party}}| | align=left|African Christian Democratic Party
| | |1 |1 | | | | |1 |
| bgcolor={{party color|United Democratic Movement}}| | align=left|United Democratic Movement
|3 | | | | | | | | |
| bgcolor={{party color|Freedom Front Plus}}| | align=left|Freedom Front Plus
| |1 |1 | | | | | | |
| bgcolor={{party color|Minority Front}}| | align=left|Minority Front
| | | |2 | | | | | |
| bgcolor={{party color|United Christian Democratic Party}}| | align=left|United Christian Democratic Party
| | | | | | |2 | | |
| bgcolor={{party color|African Independent Congress}}| | align=left|African Independent Congress
|1 | | | | | | | | |
| colspan="2" style="text-align:left"|Total
!63 !30 !73 !80 !49 !30 !33 !30 !42 |
|---|
==Eastern Cape==
{{Election results
|party1=African National Congress|votes1=1552676|seats1=44|sc1=−7
|party2=Congress of the People|votes2=308439|seats2=9|sc2=New
|party3=Democratic Alliance|votes3=225310|seats3=6|sc3=+1
|party4=United Democratic Movement|votes4=93196|seats4=3|sc4=−3
|party5=African Independent Congress|votes5=17306|seats5=1|sc5=New
|party6=Pan Africanist Congress|votes6=12108|seats6=0|sc6=−1
|party7=African Christian Democratic Party|votes7=11974|seats7=0|sc7=0
|party8=Independent Democrats|votes8=10466|seats8=0|sc8=0
|party9=Azanian People's Organisation|votes9=4598|seats9=0|sc9=0
|party10=African People's Convention|votes10=4517|seats10=0|sc10=New
|party11=Freedom Front Plus|votes11=4428|seats11=0|sc11=0
|party12=Inkatha Freedom Party|votes12=2270|seats12=0|sc12=0
|party13=National Democratic Convention|votes13=2027|seats13=0|sc13=New
|party14=Pan Africanist Movement|votes14=1921|seats14=0|sc14=New
|party15=United Christian Democratic Party|votes15=1908|seats15=0|sc15=0
|party16=Christian Democratic Alliance|votes16=1663|seats16=0|sc16=New
|party17=New Vision Party|votes17=1281|seats17=0|sc17=New
|total_sc=0
|invalid=32299
|electorate=3056559
|source=[http://electionresources.org/za/provinces.php?election=2009&province=EC Election Resources]
}}
==Free State==
{{Election results
|party1=African National Congress|votes1=734688|seats1=22|sc1=−3
|party2=Congress of the People|votes2=120018|seats2=4|sc2=New
|party3=Democratic Alliance|votes3=119844|seats3=3|sc3=0
|party4=Freedom Front Plus|votes4=20780|seats4=1|sc4=0
|party5=Dikwankwetla Party|votes5=11257|seats5=0|sc5=0
|party6=African Christian Democratic Party|votes6=7556|seats6=0|sc6=−1
|party7=United Democratic Movement|votes7=3722|seats7=0|sc7=0
|party8=United Christian Democratic Party|votes8=3459|seats8=0|sc8=0
|party9=Pan Africanist Congress|votes9=3449|seats9=0|sc9=0
|party10=African People's Convention|votes10=3200|seats10=0|sc10=New
|party11=Inkatha Freedom Party|votes11=2232|seats11=0|sc11=0
|party12=Independent Democrats|votes12=1654|seats12=0|sc12=0
|party13=National Democratic Convention|votes13=1065|seats13=0|sc13=New
|party14=Peace and Justice Congress|votes14=398|seats14=0|sc14=New
|total_sc=0
|invalid=15744
|electorate=1388588
|source=[http://electionresources.org/za/provinces.php?election=2009&province=FS Election Resources]
}}
==Gauteng==
{{Election results
|party1=African National Congress|votes1=2662013|seats1=47|sc1=−4
|party2=Democratic Alliance|votes2=908616|seats2=16|sc2=+1
|party3=Congress of the People|votes3=323327|seats3=6|sc3=New
|party4=Freedom Front Plus|votes4=67660|seats4=1|sc4=0
|party5=Inkatha Freedom Party|votes5=61856|seats5=1|sc5=−1
|party6=African Christian Democratic Party|votes6=36099|seats6=1|sc6=0
|party7=Independent Democrats|votes7=25243|seats7=1|sc7=0
|party8=United Democratic Movement|votes8=16480|seats8=0|sc8=−1
|party9=Pan Africanist Congress|votes9=12880|seats9=0|sc9=−1
|party10=United Christian Democratic Party|votes10=10091|seats10=0|sc10=0
|party11=Azanian People's Organisation|votes11=8927|seats11=0|sc11=0
|party12=Movement Democratic Party|votes12=5731|seats12=0|sc12=New
|party13=African People's Convention|votes13=5123|seats13=0|sc13=New
|party14=Christian Democratic Alliance|votes14=2901|seats14=0|sc14=0
|party15=African Christian Alliance|votes15=2541|seats15=0|sc15=New
|party16=Women Forward|votes16=1974|seats16=0|sc16=New
|party17=Great Kongress of South Africa|votes17=1909|seats17=0|sc17=New
|party18=National Democratic Convention|votes18=1497|seats18=0|sc18=New
|party19=Alliance of Free Democrats|votes19=1101|seats19=0|sc19=New
|party20=New Vision Party|votes20=1079|seats20=0|sc20=New
|total_sc=0
|invalid=42815
|electorate=5555159
|source=[http://electionresources.org/za/provinces.php?election=2009&province=GT Election Resources]
}}
==KwaZulu-Natal==
{{Election results
|party1=African National Congress|votes1=2192516|seats1=51|sc1=+13
|party2=Inkatha Freedom Party|votes2=780027|seats2=18|sc2=−12
|party3=Democratic Alliance|votes3=318559|seats3=7|sc3=0
|party4=Minority Front|votes4=71507|seats4=2|sc4=0
|party5=Congress of the People|votes5=44890|seats5=1|sc5=New
|party6=African Christian Democratic Party|votes6=23537|seats6=1|sc6=−1
|party7=United Democratic Movement|votes7=7953|seats7=0|sc7=−1
|party8=Al Jama-ah|votes8=7612|seats8=0|sc8=New
|party9=National Democratic Convention|votes9=6881|seats9=0|sc9=New
|party10=Independent Democrats|votes10=6853|seats10=0|sc10=0
|party11=Freedom Front Plus|votes11=5760|seats11=0|sc11=0
|party12=African People's Convention|votes12=5087|seats12=0|sc12=New
|party13=South African Democratic Congress|votes13=3883|seats13=0|sc13=New
|party14=Pan Africanist Congress|votes14=2578|seats14=0|sc14=0
|party15=Women Forward|votes15=1816|seats15=0|sc15=New
|party16=United Christian Democratic Party|votes16=1798|seats16=0|sc16=0
|party17=Great Kongress of South Africa|votes17=1730|seats17=0|sc17=New
|total_sc=0
|invalid=43713
|electorate=4475217
|source=[http://electionresources.org/za/provinces.php?election=2009&province=NL Election Resources]
}}
==Limpopo==
{{Election results
|party1=African National Congress|votes1=1265631|seats1=43|sc1=−2
|party2=Congress of the People|votes2=112325|seats2=4|sc2=New
|party3=Democratic Alliance|votes3=51856|seats3=2|sc3=0
|party4=African Christian Democratic Party|votes4=10246|seats4=0|sc4=−1
|party5=Freedom Front Plus|votes5=9035|seats5=0|sc5=0
|party6=Pan Africanist Congress|votes6=7934|seats6=0|sc6=0
|party7=New Vision Party|votes7=6497|seats7=0|sc7=New
|party8=Azanian People's Organisation|votes8=5640|seats8=0|sc8=0
|party9=United Democratic Movement|votes9=5193|seats9=0|sc9=−1
|party10=African People's Convention|votes10=4455|seats10=0|sc10=New
|party11=Ximoko Party|votes11=3452|seats11=0|sc11=0
|party12=United Independent Front|votes12=1769|seats12=0|sc12=New
|party13=Black Consciousness Party|votes13=1432|seats13=0|sc13=New
|party14=Independent Democrats|votes14=1333|seats14=0|sc14=0
|party15=United Christian Democratic Party|votes15=1320|seats15=0|sc15=0
|party16=Alliance of Free Democrats|votes16=1041|seats16=0|sc16=New
|party17=Women Forward|votes17=977|seats17=0|sc17=New
|party18=Inkatha Freedom Party|votes18=936|seats18=0|sc18=New
|total_sc=0
|invalid=22549
|electorate=2256073
|source=[http://electionresources.org/za/provinces.php?election=2009&province=NP Election Resources]
}}
==Mpumalanga==
{{Election results
|party1=African National Congress|votes1=1110190|seats1=27|sc1=0
|party2=Democratic Alliance|votes2=97204|seats2=2|sc2=0
|party3=Congress of the People|votes3=37789|seats3=1|sc3=New
|party4=Freedom Front Plus|votes4=11590|seats4=0|sc4=−1
|party5=African Christian Democratic Party|votes5=6565|seats5=0|sc5=0
|party6=Inkatha Freedom Party|votes6=6540|seats6=0|sc6=0
|party7=Sindawonye Progressive Party|votes7=6423|seats7=0|sc7=0
|party8=African People's Convention|votes8=4834|seats8=0|sc8=New
|party9=Pan Africanist Congress|votes9=4097|seats9=0|sc9=0
|party10=United Democratic Movement|votes10=3366|seats10=0|sc10=0
|party11=Azanian People's Organisation|votes11=2928|seats11=0|sc11=0
|party12=Christian Party|votes12=2435|seats12=0|sc12=New
|party13=Independent Democrats|votes13=1527|seats13=0|sc13=0
|party14=National Democratic Convention|votes14=1374|seats14=0|sc14=New
|party15=United Christian Democratic Party|votes15=913|seats15=0|sc15=0
|total_sc=0
|invalid=19119
|electorate=1696705
|source=[http://electionresources.org/za/provinces.php?election=2009&province=MP Election Resources]
}}
==North West==
{{Election results
|party1=African National Congress|votes1=783794|seats1=25|sc1=−2
|party2=Congress of the People|votes2=89573|seats2=3|sc2=New
|party3=Democratic Alliance|votes3=88728|seats3=3|sc3=+1
|party4=United Christian Democratic Party|votes4=56678|seats4=2|sc4=−1
|party5=Freedom Front Plus|votes5=19463|seats5=0|sc5=−1
|party6=African Christian Democratic Party|votes6=7366|seats6=0|sc6=0
|party7=United Democratic Movement|votes7=5467|seats7=0|sc7=0
|party8=Independent Democrats|votes8=4984|seats8=0|sc8=0
|party9=Movement Democratic Party|votes9=4432|seats9=0|sc9=New
|party10=African People's Convention|votes10=3116|seats10=0|sc10=New
|party11=Pan Africanist Congress|votes11=2831|seats11=0|sc11=0
|party12=Azanian People's Organisation|votes12=2712|seats12=0|sc12=0
|party13=South African Political Party|votes13=1832|seats13=0|sc13=New
|party14=African Christian Alliance|votes14=1750|seats14=0|sc14=New
|party15=Inkatha Freedom Party|votes15=1619|seats15=0|sc15=0
|party16=National Democratic Convention|votes16=978|seats16=0|sc16=New
|total_sc=0
|invalid=21007
|electorate=1564357
|source=[http://electionresources.org/za/provinces.php?election=2009&province=NW Election Resources]
}}
==Northern Cape==
{{Election results
|party1=African National Congress|votes1=245699|seats1=19|sc1=−2
|party2=Congress of the People|votes2=67416|seats2=5|sc2=New
|party3=Democratic Alliance|votes3=50817|seats3=4|sc3=+1
|party4=Independent Democrats|votes4=19995|seats4=2|sc4=0
|party5=Freedom Front Plus|votes5=5034|seats5=0|sc5=−1
|party6=United Christian Democratic Party|votes6=4889|seats6=0|sc6=0
|party7=African Christian Democratic Party|votes7=4041|seats7=0|sc7=−1
|party8=Azanian People's Organisation|votes8=2439|seats8=0|sc8=0
|party9=African People's Convention|votes9=1364|seats9=0|sc9=New
|party10=Pan Africanist Congress|votes10=882|seats10=0|sc10=0
|party11=Inkatha Freedom Party|votes11=757|seats11=0|sc11=0
|party12=United Democratic Movement|votes12=604|seats12=0|sc12=0
|party13=Christian Democratic Alliance|votes13=481|seats13=0|sc13=New
|total_sc=0
|invalid=6190
|electorate=554900
|source=[http://electionresources.org/za/provinces.php?election=2009&province=NC Election Resources]
}}
==Western Cape==
{{main|2009 Western Cape provincial election}}
{{#section-h:2009 Western Cape provincial election|Results}}
=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.
!colspan=2 rowspan=2|Party !rowspan=2|Delegate type !colspan=9 style="text-align:center"|Province !colspan=2 rowspan=2|Total !FS !G !KZN !L !M !NW !NC !WC |align=left rowspan=2|African National Congress |align=left|Permanent |4 |4 |4 |4 |5 |5 |4 |3 |2 |35 |rowspan=2|62 |3 |3 |3 |3 |4 |4 |3 |3 |1 |27 |align=left rowspan=2|Democratic Alliance |align=left|Permanent |1 |1 |1 |1 | |1 |1 |1 |3 |10 |rowspan=2|13 | | |1 | | | | | |2 |3 |align=left rowspan=2|Congress of the People |align=left|Permanent |1 |1 |1 | |1 | |1 |1 |1 |7 |rowspan=2|8 | | | | | | | |1 | |1 |align=left rowspan=2|Independent Democrats |align=left|Permanent | | | | | | | |1 | |1 |rowspan=2|2 | | | | | | | | |1 |1 |align=left rowspan=2|Inkatha Freedom Party |align=left|Permanent | | | |1 | | | | | |1 |rowspan=2|2 | | | |1 | | | | | |1 |align=left|Special | |1 | | | | | | | |colspan=2|1 |align=left|Special | | | | | | |1 | | |colspan=2|1 |align=left|Special |1 | | | | | | | | |colspan=2|1 !10 !10 !10 !10 !10 !10 !10 !10 !10 !colspan=2|90class=wikitable style=text-align:right
EC
bgcolor={{party color|African National Congress}} rowspan=2|
align=left|Special
bgcolor={{party color|Democratic Alliance (South Africa)}} rowspan=2|
align=left|Special
bgcolor={{party color|Congress of the People (South African political party)}} rowspan=2|
align=left|Special
bgcolor={{party color|Independent Democrats}} rowspan=2|
align=left|Special
bgcolor={{party color|Inkatha Freedom Party}} rowspan=2|
align=left|Special
bgcolor={{party color|Freedom Front Plus}}| align=left|Freedom Front Plus
bgcolor={{party color|United Christian Democratic Party}}| align=left|United Christian Democratic Party
bgcolor={{party color|United Democratic Movement}}| align=left|United Democratic Movement
colspan="3" style="text-align:left"|Total
Aftermath
{{Expand section|date=April 2016}}
The ANC received widespread congratulations for its decisive national victory, both from international and domestic sources. This included the opposition, with DA leader Helen Zille acknowledging that the people had given it a strong mandate to rule. "We trust that the ANC will not abuse this confidence, and will govern well and in the interests of all South Africans."{{cite web | url=https://www.da.org.za/archive/sa-today-thank-you-for-voting-for-change/ | title=Home }} However, with 65.9% of the vote and 264 seats in the National Assembly (down from 74.3% and 297 seats), the ANC no longer had the two-thirds majority it needed to change the Constitution unilaterally. The governing party had lost considerable support in 8 of the 9 provinces, partially compensated for by a big increase in KwaZulu-Natal at the expense of the IFP.
Thanking supporters the following week,{{Cite web|title=We fulfilled our key objectives - Helen Zille - NEWS & ANALYSIS {{!}} Politicsweb|url=https://www.politicsweb.co.za/news-and-analysis/we-fulfilled-our-key-objectives--helen-zille|access-date=2021-06-02|website=www.politicsweb.co.za}} DA leader Helen Zille related proudly that her party had achieved all three of its primary objectives: it had kept the ANC below a two-thirds majority (albeit only just), won an outright majority in the Western Cape and significantly improved its standing in parliament.{{Cite web|url=http://www.politicsweb.co.za/news-and-analysis/we-fulfilled-our-key-objectives--helen-zille|title = We fulfilled our key objectives - Helen Zille - NEWS & ANALYSIS | Politicsweb}} Zille saw the results as a vindication of the party's statement at the beginning of its campaign that the only two genuine political forces in South Africa were the DA and the ANC, with the latter losing support while the former consistently gained it, and voters refusing to waste their ballots on small, insignificant parties.