Voter turnout of registered voters in South Africa

South Africa: Voter turnout of registered voters was 58.64 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
58.64
World rank
113th
of 166 countries
All-time high
89.28
in 1999
All-time low
58.64
in 2024
Years of data
8
1989–2024

Voter turnout of registered voters in South Africa, 1989–2024

0204060801989200620241989: 69.51994: 86.91999: 89.32004: 76.72009: 77.32014: 73.52019: 662024: 58.6

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2024, voter turnout of registered voters in South Africa stood at 58.64. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 20.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, voter turnout of registered voters in South Africa peaked at 89.28 in 1999 and was at its lowest, 58.64, in 2024.

South Africa ranks 113th of 166 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Voter turnout of registered voters in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Voter turnout of registered voters in South Africa, 1989 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1989 69.5
1994 86.87 +25.0%
1999 89.28 +2.8%
2004 76.73 -14.1%
2009 77.3 +0.7%
2014 73.48 -4.9%
2019 66.05 -10.1%
2024 58.64 -11.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 69.5 69.5 69.5 1
1990s 88.08 86.87 89.28 2
2000s 77.02 76.73 77.3 2
2010s 69.77 66.05 73.48 2
2020s 58.64 58.64 58.64 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 110 Latvia 59.43 compare
  2. 111 Serbia 58.77 compare
  3. 112 Georgia 58.73 compare
  4. 114 Guyana 58.41 compare
  5. 115 Portugal 58.23 compare
  6. 116 Colombia 58.1 compare

See the full ranking of 166 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is voter turnout of registered voters in South Africa?
Voter turnout of registered voters in South Africa was 58.64 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest voter turnout of registered voters recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 89.28 in 1999.
What is the lowest voter turnout of registered voters recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 58.64 in 2024.
How does South Africa rank for voter turnout of registered voters?
South Africa ranks 113th out of 166 countries with data for 2024.
Is voter turnout of registered voters rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Voter turnout of registered voters. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Voter turnout of registered voters in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/voter-turnout-of-registered-voters/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Voter turnout of registered voters
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
166 places, 3,355 data points, 1790–2025
Last refreshed