2009 South African General Election
22 April 2009 · The democratic era · 400 seats, 201 for a majority
The North Gauteng High Court ruled on 9 February 2009 that South African citizens living abroad should be allowed to vote in elections. 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.
Government leader before
Kgalema Motlanthe
ANC
Government leader after
Jacob Zuma
ANC
Largest force
African National Congress
264 of 400 seats
Turnout
77.3%
The result
| Share of the Assembly | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| African National Congress | — | 264 | -15 | 11 650 748 | 65.9% | — | |
| Democratic Alliance | Jacob Zuma | 67 | +17 | 2 945 829 | 16.7% | -3.8 | |
| Congress of the People | — | 30 | — | 1 311 027 | 7.4% | — | |
| COPE | Mosiuoa Lekota | 30 | — | 1 311 027 | 7.4% | — | |
| Inkatha Freedom Party | Mangosuthu Buthelezi | 18 | -10 | 804 260 | 4.5% | -2.4 | |
| Independent Democrats | Patricia de Lille | 4 | -3 | 162 915 | 0.9% | -0.8 | |
| United Democratic Movement | Bantu Holomisa | 4 | -5 | 149 680 | 0.8% | -1.4 | |
| Freedom Front Plus | — | 4 | 0 | 146 796 | 0.8% | — | |
| African Christian Democratic Party | — | 3 | -4 | 142 658 | 0.8% | — |