The 2019 Free State provincial election was held on 8 May 2019, concurrently with the 2019 South African general election, to elect the 30 members of the Free State Provincial Legislature. The election was won by the

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a Social democracy, social-democratic political party in Republic of South Africa, South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when ...

, the incumbent governing party in the province.

Premier candidates

The

(ANC) did not announce a premier candidate before the election. Provincial chairperson

Sam Mashinini Malambule Samuel Mashinini (born 22 November 1959) is a South African politician and trade union leader who has been a member of the Free State Provincial Legislature since 2014. A member of the African National Congress, he was elected to the Fr ...

was first on the ANC's list with incumbent premier

Sisi Ntombela Sefora Hixsonia "Sisi" Ntombela (born 16 April 1957) is a South African politician who is the 6th Premier of the Free State and a Member of the Free State Provincial Legislature. She previously served as the Free State MEC for Cooperative Govern ...

third on the list. After the election, Ntombela was announced as the party's premier candidate and she was elected for another term at the first sitting of the legislature after the election. The Democratic Alliance (DA) chose Patricia Kopane, a two-term Member of Parliament and its leader in the Free State. She defeated Coreen Malherbe for the position. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) did not field a premier candidate, since the party seeks to abolish provincial governments. Mandisa Makesini appeared first on the party's list. The

Freedom Front Plus The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus; af, Vryheidsfront Plus, ''VF Plus'') is a right-wing political party in South Africa that was formed (as the Freedom Front) in 1994. It is led by Pieter Groenewald. Its current stated policy positions include a ...

(FF Plus) selected their incumbent provincial leader and former member of the provincial legislature, Jan van Niekerk.

Results

Aftermath

During the first sitting of the provincial legislature on 22 May 2019,

was re-elected as premier, while Zanele Sifuba was elected speaker, and

Vusi Tshabalala Vusimusi William Tshabalala is a South African politician who has represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the Free State Provincial Legislature since 2019. He was also the Majority Chief Whip in the legislature until October 2021, ...

was appointed chief whip.

References

{{Reflist 2019 elections in South Africa