List of elections in South Africa explained

This article lists elections for legislative or quasi-legislative bodies in South Africa.

Parliamentary general elections

House of Assembly (1910–1984)

• 15 September 1910
• 20 October 1915
• 20 March 1920
• 8 February 1921
• 19 June 1924
• 14 June 1929
• 17 May 1933
• 18 May 1938
• 17 July 1943
• 26 May 1948
• 15 April 1953
• 16 April 1958
• 8 October 1961
• 30 March 1966
• 22 April 1970
• 24 April 1974
• 30 November 1977
• 29 April 1981

Tricameral Parliament (1984–1994)

• 22 and 28 August 1984 (House of Representatives and House of Delegates)
• 6 May 1987 (House of Assembly)
• 6 September 1989 (all houses)

National Assembly (1994–present)

• 26–29 April 1994
• 2 June 1999
• 14 April 2004
• 22 April 2009
• 7 May 2014
• 8 May 2019
• 29 May 2024

Referendums

• Natal Union referendum, 10 June 1909
• Republic referendum, 5 October 1960
• Constitutional reform referendum, 2 November 1983
• Negotiated reform referendum, 17 March 1992

Municipal elections

• 1 November 1995 (delayed to 29 May 1996 in the Western Cape and 26 June 1996 in KwaZulu-Natal)
• 5 December 2000
• 1 March 2006
• 18 May 2011
• 3 August 2016
• 1 November 2021

Bantustan elections

Transkei

• 20 November 1963
• 23 October 1968
• 24 October 1973
• 29 September 1976
• 24 September 1981
• September 1986

Bophuthatswana

• 4 October 1972
• 22–24 August 1977
• October 1982
• 27 October 1987

Venda

• 15–16 August 1973
• 5–6 July 1978
• July 1984

Ciskei

• 19–23 February 1973
• 18–22 June 1978
• Independence referendum, 4 December 1980
• September 1986

Gazankulu

• 16–17 October 1973
• 13 September 1978
• 7 September 1983
• 25 January 1989

KwaNdebele

• 8–10 December 1988

Lebowa

• 11 April 1973
• 15 March 1978
• 16 March 1983

QwaQwa

• 19–21 March 1975
• 19–21 April 1980
• 1985
• 1990

Representative council elections

Coloured Persons Representative Council

• 30 September 1969
• 19 March 1975

South African Indian Council

• 4 November 1981