Political parties that contested the 2019 South African general election
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) announced on 20 March 2019 that a record number of 48 parties had registered candidates for the national parliamentary election. This is 19 more parties that contested the 2014 national elections. In the provincial legislature elections, the total number of parties registering candidates were: The electoral code of conduct was signed at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng on 20 March 2019. At the signing event, a draw was held in which the African Security Congress won the right to appear at  the top of the ballot paper. National. The following list of parties intending to contest the national ballot were presented by the IEC on the 20 March 2019 in the order that they would appear on the ballot: African National Congress. The governing African National Congress (ANC) has held a majority of the seats in the National Assembly since 1994, being re-elected with increasing majorities in 1999 and 2004, and with a slight fall in its majority in 2009 and 2014. The ANC is led by Cyril Ramaphosa, who was elected to a five-year term as President of  the African National Congress, beating his rival, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, by a narrow margin. David Mabuza was elected as Deputy President of the ANC, succeeding Ramaphosa. National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete, former Mpumalanga Premier Mathews Phosa, ANC Treasurer General Zweli Mkhize, and Human Settlements Ministers Lindiwe Sisulu were all candidates for the position of ANC President, but later all withdrew. On 14 February 2018, Zuma resigned as President of South Africa, leading Ramaphosa, as Deputy President, to succeed him as acting president and serve out the remainder of Zuma's term. Ramaphosa was elected president on 15 February 2018. Ramaphosa  thus ran for a full term in office as president. The party lost many municipalities and support in the 2016 municipal elections, including the mayoralty and majority in councils such as Nelson Mandela Bay, Tshwane and Johannesburg. The party had to form coalitions to retain control of the City of Ekurhuleni and many other municipalities. They have gained back control in many municipalities through motions of no-confidence. Although the party ousted the Democratic Alliance Mayor, Athol Trollip, in Nelson Mandela Bay, the current Mayor of the municipality is from the United Democratic Movement. When David Mabuza resigned as Premier  of Mpumalanga to become Deputy President of South Africa, MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane was appointed to fill his position. She was officially inaugurated on 20 March 2018. Free State Premier Ace Magashule was elected Secretary-General of the party at its 54th Elective Conference in December 2018. He stepped down in March 2018 and was succeeded by MEC for Human Settlements Sisi Ntombela. In April 2018, violent protests started in the North West calling for Supra Mahumapelo's resignation. He resigned in May 2018 and professor Job Mokgoro was designated by the party to  succeed him. The party launched its manifesto on 12 January 2019, alongside its 107th birthday celebrations at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. The African National Congress released its national and provincial candidate lists on 15 March 2019. The party was denounced for the inclusion of various controversial cabinet ministers and embattled party politicians, such as Nomvula Mokonyane, Bathabile Dlamini, Malusi Gigaba, Supra Mahumapelo and Mosebenzi Zwane. Despite the criticism, senior party leaders have defended these candidates. Notable people who were excluded from the lists include Nathi Nhleko and Des van Rooyen. Democratic Alliance. The official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA ) was led by Helen Zille. She announced on 12 April 2015, that she was not running for re-election. Leader of the Opposition Mmusi Maimane and Federal Chairperson Wilmot James were seen as prominent front-runners. At the party's 2015 Federal Congress in Port Elizabeth, Maimane was elected leader of the DA, succeeding outgoing leader Helen Zille. He defeated Wilmot James, winning close to 90% of the vote. He was backed by prominent businessman and future Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba. He became the first black South African to lead the DA, as well as its youngest leader to date . In the 2016 municipal elections, the party contested the municipal elections for the first time under the leadership of Mmusi Maimane. The party gained significant support and control of municipalities all across South Africa while assuming control of most Western Cape councils. In addition, the party gained three metropolitan municipalities from the ANC – Tshwane, Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay. The party did increase its majority in Cape Town. They lost control of the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality in August 2018, after a vote of no confidence ousted the DA administration. The DA held its Federal Congress on 7–8 April 2018  in Pretoria. Mmusi Maimane was re-elected, unopposed as the leader for another term. The party has also had its fair share of controversies. In October 2015, DA Shadow Minister Dianne Kohler Barnard made a controversial statement praising apartheid President PW Botha. She faced internal DA disciplinary action, later apologised, and was removed as Shadow Minister. She returned as Shadow Deputy Minister of Police in September 2017. Helen Zille sent out controversial tweets in March 2017, arguing that some elements of South Africa's colonial legacy made a positive contribution to the country. Zille subsequently apologised in light of the  outrage generated and remained Western Cape Premier. After months of infighting and legal challenges, Mayor of Cape Town, Patricia de Lille, announced at a press briefing with Mmusi Maimane that she would resign as Mayor of Cape Town, effective 31 October 2018. Candidates for her position included DA Leader Mmusi Maimane, former Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato, Gauteng Provincial Legislature Member Heinrich Volmink, Deputy Mayor of Cape Town Ian Neilson, and Western Cape Provincial Parliament Speaker Sharna Fernandez. Dan Plato was subsequently selected. Patricia de Lille has since formed a new political party in December 2018 named Good. On 24  September 2018, the party launched its "One South Africa for All" campaign at the Mary Fitzgerald Square in Johannesburg. The party's candidates for the position of premier of the different provinces were as follows: In January 2019, the Democratic Alliance erected a controversial billboard with the words "The ANC is killing us" in the Johannesburg CBD. The billboard aimed to honour all the South Africans who have lost their lives, because of crime, the Life Healthcare Esidimeni Scandal, Marikana killings, and children who have fallen into pit toilets. The billboard was subsequently destroyed by African National Congress supporters. In  mid-January 2019, Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga announced his intention to resign as mayor in order to focus on his Gauteng premiership campaign. The party nominated Stevens Mokgalapa to succeed him. He was elected on 12 February 2019. On 23 February 2019, the party launched its manifesto at the Rand Stadium in Rosettenville, Johannesburg. On 16 March 2019, Democratic Alliance Federal Council Chairperson James Selfe released the party's parliament and provincial legislatures candidate lists. Selfe made the announcement alongside some of the candidates on the party's lists. The party's national list included senior party figures, such as  Federal Leader Mmusi Maimane, James Selfe, Natasha Mazzone, John Steenhuisen, Glynnis Breytenbach, Gwen Ngwenya and David Maynier. Newly elected mayor of Tshwane Stevens Mokgalapa was also mentioned on the list. Selfe said that Mokgalapa applied to be a candidate for the National Assembly long before he was elected mayor. Economic Freedom Fighters. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is a splinter party of the ANC that was formed in July 2013 by expelled ANC Youth League leader, Julius Malema, taking a strong anti-ANC position within its far-left economic platform, such as calling for the expropriation of land without compensation , and the nationalisation of South Africa's mines and the South African Reserve Bank. The party contested its first general elections in 2014 and garnered support across South Africa, giving it a total of 25 seats in the National Assembly. In the 2016 municipal elections, the party's support further increased, growing from 6% to 8% in the national popular vote. The party voted with the DA, and many other smaller opposition parties, to install DA-led local governments and oust ANC-led administrations. On 2 February 2019, the party launched its manifesto in Soshanguve. Other parties. The following parties  have contested previous elections: New parties. Several new parties would contest the election both nationally and provincially: Provincial-only. The following parties contested at the provincial level only: Party defections. Former Mayor of Cape Town, Patricia de Lille, resigned from the Democratic Alliance on 31 October 2018. Various City of Cape Town councillors resigned along with her, including Mayoral Committee Member for Transport Brett Herron, and City of Cape Town Chief Whip, Shaun August. De Lille has since formed a new political party named Good. On 30 December 2018, former DA Western Cape MPP and current special advisor to the  minister of police Bheki Cele, Lennit Max, announced his resignation from the Democratic Alliance and subsequently joined the ANC. The DA had allegedly pressured Max to resign as a party member when he was appointed special advisor in July 2018. The United Democratic Movement welcomed former deputy party president of the NFP, Sindi Maphumulo-Mashinini, to the party on 2 February 2019. On 17 February 2019, African National Congress Member of Parliament, Dr Zukile Luyenge, resigned from the ANC and consequently joined the African Transformation Movement. Luyenge was a member of the ANC for thirty years and was elected MP  in 2009. The Office of the ANC Chief Whip in the National Assembly confirmed the resignation. On 2 March 2019, four Eastern Cape Democratic Alliance members resigned from the party and joined the African Transformation Movement. All of the ex-DA members had previously served as municipal councillors. On the same day, ANC, DA and EFF party T-shirts were burnt by defectors to the Minority Front at the party's manifesto launch. Former Eastern Cape ANC Transport MEC, Thandiswa Marawu, defected to the African Transformation Movement on 11 March 2019. On 13 March 2019, it was announced that former  Provincial Leader of the Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal, Sizwe Mchunu, and several DA Msunduzi Local Municipality councillors, defected to the African National Congress. National Freedom Party MPL, Njabulo Mlaba, also defected to the ANC. Former provincial chairperson of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Themba Wele, defected to the African Transformation Movement on 15 March 2019. On 26 March 2019, former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor announced that she was joining the African Christian Democratic Party.