South Africa is a vibrant democratic African state marked with several influential political parties. The country enjoys robust governance from various party leaders that jointly comprise a government. If you thought ANC, EFF, and DA are the only political parties in South Africa, wait until we unveil a complete list.

The ending of the minority rule in 1994 brought on board several political parties in South Africa, each of which holds a unique set of approaches and policies. While the African National Congress in a central party of power, there are several other political parties that are competitively active in the scene. For this reason, South African politics is highly competitive, and therefore, it is a common experience for legislative seats to attract several party candidates alongside independent contestors.

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Political parties in South Africa 2019

Which political party won 2019 elections? South Africa recently welcomed its 6th post-Apartheid general election earlier this year. The majority rule led by ANC continues to cast a broad shadow on other potential South African political parties that are yet to garner sufficient publicity.

List of political parties in South Africa

The African National Congress has remained a good political party for decades, but Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters are upcoming speedily as their fame continues to spread. The national politics remain even more unpredictable as more parties continue to spring up on political reforms amid the ongoing debates. Besides the national party South Africa, our list comprises all other political parties you may not have come across before.

Parties with Parliamentary representation

1. African National Congress (ANC): 230 seats
2. Democratic Alliance (DA): 84 seats
3. Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF): 44 seats
4. Freedom Front Plus (FF+): 10 seats
5. Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP): 14 seats
6. African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP): 4 seats
7. African Transformation Movement (ATM): 2 seats
8. African Independent Congress (AIC): 2 seats
9. United Democratic Movement (UDM): 2 seats
10. Congress of the People (COPE) 2 seats
11. National Freedom Party (NFP): 2 seats
12. Good (GOOD): 2 seats
13. Al Jama-ah (ALJAMAH): 1 seat
14. Pan Africanist Congress (PAC): 1 seat

Parties without Parliamentary representation

1. Cape Party
2. Dagga Party
3. Ubuntu Party
4. Ximoko Party
5. Free Democrats
6. United Congress
7. Women Forward
8. Patriotic Alliance
9. ECOPEACE Party
10. Divided Party (DiP)
11. True Freedom Party
12. Uniting People First
13. Dikwankwetla Party
14. Minority Front (MF)
15. Afrikaner Volksparty
16. Boerestaat Party [BP]
17. Republican Democrats
18. National People's Front
19. All Things Are Possible
20. New South Africa Party
21. Socialist Party of Azania
22. African Covenant (ACO)
23. Socialist Green Coalition
24. Herstigte Nasionale Party
25. Pan Africanist Movement
26. Land Party (South Africa)
27. African Security Congress
28. African Christian Alliance
29. Build South Africa (BSA)
30. African Renaissance Unity
31. Christian Democratic Party
32. Peace and Justice Congress
33. Forum for Service Delivery
34. Civic Warriors of Maruleng
35. Peace and Justice Congress
36. African Democratic Change
37. Africa Muslim Party (AMP)
38. Compatriots of South Africa
39. Black First Land First (BLF)
40. South African Political Party
41. Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners
42. Democratic Liberal Congress
43. National People's Party (NPP)
44. Dabalorivhuwa Patriotic Front
45. Capitalist Party of South Africa
46. Gazankulu Liberation Congress
47. Power of Africans Unity (PAU)
48. African Mantungwa Community
49. Libertarian Party of South Africa
50. Bolsheviks Party of South Africa
51. National Party South Africa (NP)
52. Kingdom Governance Movement
53. African Change Academy) ACA)
54. Keep It Straight and Simple Party
55. International Revelation Congress
56. National Religious Freedom Party
57. African Content Movement (ACM)
58. Alliance for Transformation for All
59. Better Residents Association (BRA)
60. Green Party of South Africa (GPSA)
61. Workers and Socialist Party (WASP)
62. Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats
63. Economic Emancipation Forum (EEF)
64. Democratic Socialist Movement (CWI)
65. National People’s Ambassadors (NPA)
66. Azanian People's Organisation (AZAPO)
67. Abolition of Income Tax and Usury Party
68. Workers Organization for Socialist Action
69. United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP)
70. National Conservative Party of South Africa
71. The Peoples Independent Civic Organisation
72. National Democratic Convention (NADECO)
73. The Organic Humanity Movement (The OHM)
74. People’s Revolutionary Movement (South Africa)
75. Communist Party of South Africa (Marxist-Leninist)
76. Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party (South Africa)
77. Front Nasionaal (FN) (previously Federale Vryheidsparty)
78. South African National Congress of Traditional Authorities
79. South African Maintenance and Estate Beneficiaries Association
80. South African Communist Party (SACP) – part of the ANC-led "Tripartite Alliance."

Parties that are no longer exist

• 1910–1958: Labour Party
• 1911–1934: South African Party (SAP)
• 1915–1997: National Party (NP) -was government 1948-1994)
• 1934–1948: Dominion Party
• 1934–1977: United Party (UP)
• 1941–1951: Afrikaner Party (AP)
• 1953–1968: Liberal Party of South Africa
• 1957–1975: Progressive Party
• 1969–1994: Labour Party
• 1973–1977: Democratic Party (DP)
• 1975–1975: Reform Party
• 1975–1977: Progressive Reform Party
• 1977–1980: South African Party (SAP)
• 1977–1988: New Republic Party
• 1977–1989: Progressive Federal Party (PFP)
• 1982–2004: Conservative Party (CP)
• 1989–2000: Democratic Party (DP)
• 1994– : Federal Party
• 1997–2005: New National Party (NNP)
• 1998–2007: Federal Alliance
• 2003-2004: Nasionale Aksie
• 2003–2014: Independent Democrats (ID)
• 2004–2009: New Labour Party (NLP)
• 2004- : Pro-death Penalty Party
• 2005–2010: United Independent Front
• 2005– : Christen Party/Christian Party:
• 2005– : Federation of Democrats
• 2008–2011: South African Democratic Congress (Sadeco)
• 2012: South African Business Party
• 2009: Christian Democratic Alliance:
• 2014: Christian Front (CF)
• 2014: Universal Party
• National Alliance
• Democratic Left Front
• Khoisan Aboriginal and Others Movement

How many political parties in South Africa?

There are close to one hundred political parties in South Africa some of which managed to secure parliamentary representation in the recently concluded general election. Some of these 94 political parties failed to secure seats but are still running and active in South African politics. Among the most active are Christian political parties in South Africa; they are ACA, CDP, and ACDP (which has four parliamentary seats). It is also notable that most parties that were founded during the minority rule are now defunct.

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South Africa is a mature democratic nation marked with multiple political alliances. The current government regime comprises fair representation from 14 of these political parties in South Africa. These parties are dependently struggling to make the country more habitable with unique leadership approaches, all with the intention of bettering the lives of the citizens.

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