Statizoid

Competitive elections in South Africa

South Africa: Competitive elections was 1 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
1
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 197 countries
All-time high
1
in 1910
All-time low
0
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025

Competitive elections in South Africa, 1900–2025

00.20.40.60.81190019622025

Source: Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for competitive elections in South Africa is 1, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 126 years on record.

The figure is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, competitive elections in South Africa peaked at 1 in 1910 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1900.

That places South Africa 1st out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s 0 0 0 10
1910s 1 1 1 10
1920s 1 1 1 10
1930s 1 1 1 10
1940s 1 1 1 10
1950s 0 0 0 10
1960s 0 0 0 10
1970s 0 0 0 10
1980s 0 0 0 10
1990s 0.6 0 1 10
2000s 1 1 1 10
2010s 1 1 1 10
2020s 1 1 1 6

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See the full ranking of 198 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is competitive elections in South Africa?
Competitive elections in South Africa was 1 in 2025, according to Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest competitive elections recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 1 in 1910.
What is the lowest competitive elections recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1900.
How does South Africa rank for competitive elections?
South Africa ranks 1st out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
Is competitive elections rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Competitive elections. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Competitive elections
Source
Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
198 places, 32,485 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed

Whether the outcomes of elections are uncertain because their timing is not violated, voters are not systematically coerced, and election fraud is not consequential.