Cyril Ramaphosa announces election date in May

South Africa's sixth democratic national and provincial elections will be held on May 8.

The date was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his state of the nation address in parliament on Thursday.

"In a few months' time, South Africans will go to the polls for the sixth time in our democracy to vote for national and provincial governments. This is an opportunity for our people to exercise their hard-won right to determine the direction of this country," Ramaphosa said.

"I have engaged with the Independent Electoral Commission and also with the premiers of all provinces, and intend to proclaim the 8th of May 2019 as the date of the election.

"We wish to remind all eligible South Africans who have not yet registered as voters that they still have until the proclamation of the election date to register," he added.

Listen to the full audio address: