1994 South African general election

1994 South African general election

← 1989 26–29 April 1994 1999 →
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All 400 seats in the National Assembly 201 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Nelson Mandela F. W. de Klerk Mangosuthu Buthelezi Party ANC NP IFP Last election Banned party 48.19%, 94 seats Did not exist Seats won 252 82 43 Seat change New party 12 New party Popular vote 12,237,655 3,983,690 2,058,294 Percentage 62.65% 20.39% 10.54% Swing New party 27.80pp New party   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Constand Viljoen Zach de Beer Clarence Makwetu Party VF DP PAC Last election Did not exist 20.00%, 33 seats Banned party Seats won 9 7 5 Seat change New party 26 New party Popular vote 424,555 338,426 243,478 Percentage 2.17% 1.73% 1.25% Swing New party 18.27pp New party
State President before election F. W. de Klerk NP Elected President Nelson Mandela ANC

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General elections were held in South Africa between 26 and 29 April 1994.^[1] The elections were the first in which citizens of all races were allowed to take part, and were therefore also the first held with universal suffrage. The election was conducted under the direction of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), and marked the culmination of the four-year process that ended apartheid.

Millions queued in lines over a four-day voting period. Altogether, 19,726,579 votes were counted, and 193,081 were rejected as invalid. As widely expected, the African National Congress (ANC), whose slate incorporated the labour confederation COSATU and the South African Communist Party, won a sweeping victory, taking 62 percent of the vote, just short of the two-thirds majority required to unilaterally amend the Interim Constitution. As required by that document, the ANC formed a Government of National Unity with the National Party and the Inkatha Freedom Party, the two other parties that won more than 20 seats in the National Assembly. The governing National Party polled just over 20%, and was thus eligible for a post of Vice President to incumbent president De Klerk. The new National Assembly's first act was to elect Nelson Mandela as President, making him the country's first black chief executive. He then appointed the Cabinet of Nelson Mandela.

The date 27 April is now a public holiday in South Africa, Freedom Day.