Provincial vs National Elections in South Africa

Provincial vs National Elections in South Africa: What's the Difference?

South Africans vote in national and provincial elections on the same day, using separate ballot papers, to choose two different levels of government. Many voters are unsure what each election actually decides — and whether their provincial vote affects who becomes President. This guide explains the difference in plain English: what each election chooses, how the ballots work, what each level of government controls, and how seats and leaders are chosen.

The short answer

• National elections choose the 400 members of the National Assembly in Parliament. The National Assembly then elects the President of South Africa.
• Provincial elections choose the members of your province's legislature (called MPLs). The provincial legislature then elects the Premier, who heads your provincial government.

Both elections happen on the same day, every five years, run by the same Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), at the same voting station — but they are decided separately by separate ballot papers.

What does the national election decide?

The national election fills the National Assembly, Parliament's 400-seat lower house. Since the 2024 elections, those 400 seats come from two ballots:

• National ballot — you vote for a political party. These votes decide how the 200 "national list" seats are shared between parties.
• Regional ballot — you vote for a party or an independent candidate in your province. These votes decide the other 200 seats, allocated per province.

Once the National Assembly is filled, its members elect the President, who appoints the national Cabinet (ministers for health, police, finance, defence, and so on). This is why South Africans never vote directly for President — your national and regional ballots decide the Parliament that chooses the President.

The National Assembly also makes and passes national laws, oversees national departments and state-owned entities, and can pass a motion of no confidence in the President.

What does the provincial election decide?

The provincial election fills your provincial legislature. Each of the nine provinces has its own legislature, and its size depends on the province's population — from 30 seats in the smallest provinces up to 80 seats in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

Provincial legislatures choose a Premier, who appoints the province's Executive Council (often called the provincial cabinet, with Members of the Executive Council — MECs — running provincial departments).

Your provincial ballot decides:

• Which parties and independent candidates hold seats in your provincial legislature
• Who becomes Premier of your province
• Who runs provincial departments such as provincial health, schools, provincial roads, housing, and agriculture

How the provincial ballot works

The provincial ballot is separate from the national and regional ballots. On election day, if your province is holding a provincial election (all nine do at the same time), you receive:

1. The national ballot — party vote for the national list
2. The regional ballot — party or independent vote for your province's share of National Assembly seats
3. The provincial ballot — party or independent vote for your provincial legislature

Since the Electoral Amendment Act of 2023, independent candidates can stand on the regional and provincial ballots as well as parties.

Can I vote for different parties on different ballots?

Yes. Your three ballots are independent of each other. You can vote for one party nationally and a different party provincially — nothing is combined, and no one can see how you voted on each paper. This "split-ticket" voting is completely legal and fairly common in South Africa.

It also means your provincial vote does not affect who becomes President, and your national vote does not decide your Premier. Each level is decided by its own ballot.

What does each level of government control?

South Africa has three spheres of government — national, provincial, and local — each with its own responsibilities under the Constitution.

National government (chosen by the national election) is responsible for matters that work best for the whole country, including:

• Defence and foreign affairs
• Police and justice (courts, prisons)
• Home Affairs (IDs, passports)
• SARS and national taxation
• Social grants (SASSA) and social security
• National roads, universities, and broadcasting

Provincial government (chosen by the provincial election) is responsible for provincial matters, including:

• Provincial hospitals and clinics
• Public schools in the province
• Provincial roads and transport
• Housing delivery and human settlements
• Agriculture and provincial nature reserves
• Provincial licensing and traffic (with municipalities)

Some responsibilities, like health and education, are shared: national government sets policy and standards, while provincial departments deliver the services on the ground. That is why provincial elections matter for the quality of your local hospital and school, even though the national election sets the overall policy.

Local government — ward and PR councillors — is chosen at a separate local government election, held every five years but on a different date from national and provincial elections. Municipalities handle water and electricity distribution, refuse collection, municipal roads, and town planning.

How are seats and leaders chosen?

Both national and provincial elections use proportional representation (PR): a party that wins roughly 30% of the votes gets roughly 30% of the seats. Independent candidates win seats based on their own share of the votes.

After the results:

1. Nationally — the 400 National Assembly members are seated, and the Assembly elects the President (usually the leader of the party or coalition with a majority)
2. Provincially — each legislature is seated, and it elects that province's Premier the same way

If no party wins a majority in Parliament or a provincial legislature, parties negotiate a coalition government — which has become increasingly common in South African politics at both levels.

Why your provincial vote matters

Provincial governments spend large budgets on health and education and deliver many of the services people interact with daily. A weak provincial government means long clinic queues, late school textbook deliveries, and poorly maintained provincial roads — no matter which party governs nationally. Voting deliberately on both ballots is how you hold each level accountable for what it actually controls.

Key differences at a glance

Frequently asked questions

Are national and provincial elections on the same day? Yes. They have been held on the same day since 1994. Local government elections are held every five years too, but on a different date.

Do I vote three times on election day? In a national and provincial election year you typically receive three ballot papers: national, regional, and provincial. In a local election year you receive municipal ballots instead.

Does my provincial vote affect who becomes President? No. The President is elected by the National Assembly, which is chosen by the national and regional ballots. Your provincial ballot only decides your provincial legislature and Premier.

Who elects the Premier? The elected members of your provincial legislature choose the Premier after the provincial results are announced. Voters do not choose the Premier directly.

Can I vote for one party nationally and another provincially? Yes. Each ballot is secret and counted separately, so you may split your vote between levels of government.

Why do some provinces have more seats than others? Provincial legislature sizes are fixed per province based on population, ranging from 30 seats to 80 seats. More people means more representatives.

What if I'm a South African living abroad? South Africans abroad can vote in national elections at designated embassies, high commissions, and consulates, after applying for a special vote by the IEC deadline. Provincial voting from abroad is not provided for — the provincial ballot is only offered within South Africa.