This lecture explores trends in electoral participation over South Africa's years of democracy and argues that two seemingly contradictory features characterise recent elections – increased electoral volatility and electoral stagnation – with very different implications for the quality of democracy. The African National Congress has suffered significant losses in recent elections, suggesting a willingness among voters to abandon old political homes for new ones. This apparent volatility in voter behaviour has produced a heightened sense of competition, especially in the densely populated urban metropoles. Yet, the number of volatile voters pale in comparison to those who choose to abstain, and their participation may be insufficient to offset electoral stagnation in the long term. Abstentions, on the other hand, appear to be the result of growing political system disaffection with key electoral actors, including political parties and democracy itself. These disaffected citizens are positioned at the periphery of politics with negative implications for electoral competition.