The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) will today present its comprehensive report on the 2024 General Elections to Parliament’s Home Affairs Portfolio Committee. The document outlines the Commission’s key successes, including the smooth integration of independent candidates into national and provincial elections for the first time, while also detailing significant challenges faced during the polls.
A New Electoral System Tested
The IEC’s report highlights its successful adaptation to a revised electoral system, which required major technical overhauls, including updates to ICT business applications, the candidate nomination system, and the results system. This transition allowed 11 independent candidates to contest alongside 70 political parties—marking an unprecedented level of competition.
However, the new system also brought legal disputes. The IEC faced multiple court challenges before and after the elections, including intra-party conflicts, candidate nomination disputes, and challenges to electoral legislation.
Technical Glitches and Cyber Threats
The report acknowledges several operational difficulties, including a dramatic blackout of the results leaderboard during the vote count. IEC officials attributed the outage to possible bandwidth issues and high traffic volumes. Additionally, voter management devices (VMDs) malfunctioned at various voting stations, causing delays and long queues.
The Commission also reported a sharp rise in cyber threats and misinformation campaigns aimed at undermining public trust. In 2024, nearly 300 cases of disinformation were recorded—a significant increase from 99 cases in 2019. Social media harassment targeting IEC staff further complicated the electoral process.
Voter Education and Ballot Confusion
Despite efforts to educate voters on new requirements—such as Section 24A, which mandated voters to notify the IEC if voting outside their registered district—many citizens remained unaware. The report also noted confusion among voters due to the use of three ballots, with some unsure about the purpose of the third ballot. Additionally, concerns were raised about voters whose names did not appear on the voters’ roll.
Positive Feedback from Observers
Over 200 organizations were accredited as election observers, with several commending the IEC’s results operations centers and technical innovations. However, some observer reports pointed to delays in legislative amendments, which impacted voter education efforts.
As the IEC presents its findings, the Commission is expected to address recommendations for improving future elections, particularly in cybersecurity, voter awareness, and system reliability. The 2024 polls have set a new precedent for electoral inclusivity, but the challenges underscore the need for continued reforms ahead of the next election cycle.
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