Abstract
The article assesses the adoption of a proportional representation electoral system for South Africa's first post‐apartheid election, held 26–28 April 1994. The performance of the electoral system chosen for this election ‐ a form of party list proportional representation with regional and national features ‐ is argued to be an important, if not critical, element of building successful democratic post‐apartheid political institutions in this deeply divided society. The article analyses the potential conflict‐mitigating effects of electoral system choice in South Africa, particularly the question of whether or not the electoral system contained incentives for moderation by office‐seekers across ethnic and racial cleavages during the 1994 election campaign, thereby promoting intergroup co‐operation and reconciliation.
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