Independence in South-Africa

Deep Research Report: Independent Political Parties in South Africa

Report Date: July 16, 2026

Executive Summary

The political landscape in South Africa underwent a profound transformation with the passage of the Electoral Amendment Act 1 of 2023.

For the first time since the dawn of democracy in 1994, independent candidates were permitted to contest national and provincial elections without affiliating with a political party [1].

This legislative change has brought renewed attention to independent political movements and parties designed specifically to support independent candidates, such as the Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa (IRASA). This report provides an in-depth analysis of the Electoral Amendment Act 1 of 2023, the unique model of IRASA, and other nationally registered political parties that operate as platforms for independent candidates or advocate for independent representation.

1. The Electoral Amendment Act 1 of 2023

The Electoral Amendment Act 1 of 2023 was enacted following a landmark Constitutional Court ruling in June 2020 (New Nation Movement NPC v President of the Republic of South Africa). The Court declared the Electoral Act of 1998 unconstitutional because it required adult citizens to be members of political parties to be elected to the National Assembly and Provincial Legislatures [2].

The resulting Electoral Amendment Act introduced a hybrid electoral system for the National Assembly, maintaining the 400-seat limit but dividing it into a 200/200 split:

  • Compensatory Seats (200): Reserved exclusively for political parties to ensure overall proportionality.
  • Regional Seats (200): Contested by both political parties and independent candidates across the nine provinces [3].

Independent candidates face unique constraints under this system. An independent candidate can only occupy a single seat in the National Assembly, even if they secure enough votes across multiple regions to qualify for more [4]. Furthermore, independent candidates faced significant legal battles regarding signature requirements. Initially, the Act required independents to gather signatures equivalent to 15% of the quota of votes needed for a seat in the previous election. However, in December 2023, following a challenge by One Movement South Africa NPC, the Constitutional Court ruled this requirement unconstitutional and temporarily reduced it to 1,000 signatures per region [5].

Despite these legislative advancements, the 2024 general elections proved highly challenging for independent candidates. Only five independent candidates successfully registered to contest the National Assembly regional seats. None of these candidates secured a seat, primarily due to a lack of financial resources, limited logistical infrastructure, and voter hesitation to support candidates perceived as unlikely to win [6].

  1. IRASA: The Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa

The Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa (IRASA) represents a unique structural model within South African politics. Founded in 2011, IRASA is a registered national political party, but its operational philosophy differs fundamentally from traditional ideological parties [7].

IRASA functions primarily as a “political shield” or structural vehicle for independent-minded candidates, particularly at the local government level. The organization’s mandate is rooted in the principles of direct democracy and community accountability. By contesting under the IRASA banner, local councillors are protected from the rigid party whips and ideological mandates that characterize traditional political parties [8].

Key characteristics of IRASA include:

  • Direct Accountability: Councillors are viewed as “employees of the voters” and are expected to vote strictly in the interests of their specific constituencies rather than following a national party line.
  • Local Government Focus: While registered nationally with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)—meaning it has the legal right to contest national elections—IRASA has historically focused its resources and campaigns on municipal elections, such as those in 2016 and 2021 [7].
  • Current Activities: As South Africa approaches the 2026 Local Government Elections, IRASA has formed alliances with local civic groups, such as the Garden Route First alliance, MossRates, and the National Taxpayers Union, to consolidate independent civic power [9].

IRASA did not field candidates for the National Assembly in the 2024 general elections, choosing instead to maintain its focus on municipal governance and grassroots accountability.

3. Other Nationally Registered Independent-Focused Parties

While IRASA is a prominent example of a civic-focused independent platform, several other political parties in South Africa share similar models or advocate strongly for independent representation. The IEC currently recognizes over 500 registered political parties, with 295 registered at the national level [10]. Among these, several notable parties focus on independent candidates or civic association models.

3.1 United Independent Movement (UIM)

Founded in October 2020 by Neil de Beer, the United Independent Movement (UIM) began as a civil society movement dedicated to empowering independent candidates before officially registering as a national political party in August 2021 [11].

The UIM positions itself as a centre-right, Christian democratic party that seeks to bridge the divide between the government and citizens. Unlike IRASA, which acts as a loose coalition of independents, the UIM operates more like a traditional party but strongly advocates for the rights of independent candidates and civil society [12]. The UIM contested the 2024 national elections as part of the Multi-Party Charter (MPC) but failed to secure parliamentary representation, garnering 20,003 votes (0.12%) on the national ballot [13]. Following the death of Neil de Beer in August 2025, the party is currently led by Vice-President Fatima Abdool.

3.2 Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (ICOSA)

The Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (ICOSA) was founded in 2006 by Truman Prince following his expulsion from the African National Congress (ANC) [14]. Similar to IRASA, ICOSA operates primarily at the local government level, with a strong historical base in the Kannaland Local Municipality in the Western Cape.

Although registered nationally and having contested the 2019 national elections (receiving 0.07% of the vote), ICOSA did not contest the 2024 national elections due to internal factionalism and leadership disputes involving its president, Jeffrey Donson [15]. ICOSA represents the older generation of civic-based political parties that operate independently of the major national political formations.

3.3 Alliance of Citizens for Change (ACC)

Formed in July 2023 by Masizole Mnqasela, the former Speaker of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, the Alliance of Citizens for Change (ACC) is a newer entrant to the independent-focused political space [16]. Mnqasela established the ACC after his expulsion from the Democratic Alliance (DA), framing the new party as a civil movement dedicated to social justice and ethical leadership. The ACC contested the 2024 national elections but did not secure a seat, receiving 9,336 votes (0.06%) [17].

3.4 People’s Movement for Change (PMC)

The People’s Movement for Change (PMC) was launched in November 2023 by Marius Fransman, former ANC Chairperson in the Western Cape [18]. The PMC was initially founded as a social movement aimed at creating space for individuals outside the traditional political spectrum to engage in governance. It officially contested the 2024 national elections, positioning itself as a progressive alternative, but failed to win parliamentary representation, securing 5,539 votes (0.03%) [19].

  1. Civil Society Organizations Supporting Independents

It is crucial to distinguish between registered political parties (like IRASA and UIM) and civil society organizations that advocate for independent candidates but do not contest elections themselves.

  • Independent Candidate Association South Africa (ICA) NPC: A non-profit company that advocates for the rights of independent candidates. The ICA brought the Constitutional Court challenge against the 200/200 seat split in the Electoral Amendment Act, arguing it unfairly disadvantaged independents (the challenge was dismissed) [20].
  • One Movement South Africa NPC: Another non-profit advocacy group that successfully challenged the 15% signature requirement for independent candidates at the Constitutional Court, resulting in the requirement being lowered to 1,000 signatures [5].

Conclusion

The Electoral Amendment Act 1 of 2023 fundamentally altered South Africa’s electoral framework by permitting independent candidates to contest national and provincial elections. However, the 2024 election results demonstrated the severe logistical and financial barriers that independent candidates face when running without party infrastructure.

 

In this context, parties like IRASA provide a vital hybrid model. By offering the legal and administrative framework of a registered national political party while maintaining a philosophy of strict candidate independence and local accountability, IRASA bridges the gap between traditional party politics and pure independent candidacy. While other parties such as the UIM, ICOSA, ACC, and PMC also champion independent or civic-focused platforms, IRASA remains uniquely positioned as a “political shield” for independent community leaders, particularly as South Africa looks toward the 2026 Local Government Elections.

References

[1] Electoral Commission of South Africa. “What’s new in the 2024 Elections: Electoral Amendment Act.” https://www.elections.org.za/pw/elections/whats-new-in-the-2024-elections-electoral-amendment-act [2] Constitutional Court of South Africa. New Nation Movement NPC and Others v President of the Republic of South Africa and Others [2020] ZACC 11. https://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZACC/2020/11.html [3] South African Government. “Electoral Amendment Act 1 of 2023.” https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/202304/48432electoralamendmentact1of2023.pdf [4] South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF). “Module 5: Independent Candidates.” https://elections.sanef.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SANEF-Elections-2024-Module-5-Independent-candidates-Elections-Training-Module.pdf [5] Constitutional Court of South Africa. One Movement South Africa NPC v President of the Republic of South Africa [2023] ZACC 42. https://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZACC/2023/42.html [6] FW de Klerk Foundation. “Independent Candidates and South Africa’s 2024 General Elections.” https://fwdeklerk.org/independent-candidates-and-south-africas-2024-general-elections/ [7] Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa (IRASA). “About IRASA.” https://irasa.org.za/ [8] Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa (IRASA). “Our Mission.” https://irasa.org.za/ [9] Garden Route First. “IRASA Alliance.” https://grfirst.org.za/irasa-alliance/ [10] Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Facebook Post, December 4, 2025. https://www.facebook.com/IECSouthAfrica/posts/1251511003677652 [11] United Independent Movement. “About Us.” https://uimsa.org/about-us/ [12] Wikipedia. “United Independent Movement.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Independent_Movement [13] Electoral Commission of South Africa. “NPE Results Dashboard 2024.” https://results.elections.org.za/dashboards/npe/ [14] Wikipedia. “Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Civic_Organisation_of_South_Africa [15] Daily Maverick. “Faction-ridden Icosa to support People’s Movement for Change after poll registration failure.” https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-04-09-faction-ridden-icosa-to-support-peoples-movement-for-change-after-poll-registration-failure/ [16] Wikipedia. “Alliance of Citizens for Change.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliance_of_Citizens_for_Change [17] News24. “We need real change now: Ousted DA leader Masizole Mnqasela launches his new party in Cape Town.” https://www.news24.com/news24/politics/political-parties/we-need-real-change-now-ousted-da-leader-masizole-mnqasela-launches-his-new-party-in-cape-town-20230715 [18] Wikipedia. “People’s Movement for Change (South Africa).” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Movement_for_Change_(South_Africa) [19] Eyewitness News. “Marius Fransman’s People’s Movement for Change to contest elections at national level.” https://www.ewn.co.za/2024/01/31/marius-fransmans-people-s-movement-for-change-to-contest-elections-at-national-level [20] Constitutional Court of South Africa. Independent Candidate Association SA NPC v President of the Republic of South Africa and Others [2023] ZACC 41. https://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZACC/2023/41.html