South Africa held its first democratic elections in 1994. The national and provincial elections took place from 26 to 29 April, allowing citizens of all races to vote under universal suffrage.
The election marked the political end of apartheid and followed several years of negotiations between the National Party government, the African National Congress and other political groups. Millions of people queued for hours, and in some places for days, to cast ballots in the country’s first nonracial national election.
The African National Congress won about 62% of the vote. Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first Black president when the new National Assembly elected him on 9 May; he was sworn in on 10 May. The ANC formed a Government of National Unity with the National Party and the Inkatha Freedom Party.
A frequent mix-up is the 1992 whites-only referendum, which supported continuing negotiations to end apartheid. That referendum was an important step, but it was not a democratic national election open to all races. The 1994 vote is commemorated by Freedom Day on 27 April.