independent candidateslatest news & developments
34 new political parties have been registered since the 2024 national and provincial elections. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Sharp rise in new political parties ahead of 2026 elections

The electoral commission said 34 new political parties have joined the register since last year’s national elections, with more expected before next year’s local government vote

  • Eyaaz
4 min read
An ANC volunteer carries a poster of Cyril Ramaphosa as she prepares to erect a party station at the Msholozi Informal Settlement near Brakpan, Johannesburg. (File photo by Delwyn Verasamy/MG)

Why South Africa needs electoral reform: A look at mixed-member proportional systems

The country desperately needs a system that makes politicians accountable to voters, not their political parties

  • Des Erasmus
4 min read
Thanasagren Moodley was the highest performing independent candidate with about 12 000 votes. (Suntosh Pillay/X)

Why independent candidates did not perform well in the 2024 elections

South Africa needs to develop strategies and systems to support independents on their electoral journey

  • Eyaaz
5 min read
How does a continent that has suffered decades of state capture and democratic decline ensure free, fair and participatory electoral processes for effective democratic governance? Technology may be the answer. (Delwyn Verasamy, M&G)

E-voting versus paper ballots

Allowing independent candidates to contest the next general election in South Africa is a boon for democracy. Prof. Colin Thakur asks if it is time to move to an electronic voting system?

  • Scott Peter Smith
5 min read