Johannesburg - Twenty-eight parties plan to contest general elections in South Africa on April 22, the country's independent electoral commission (IEC) said Tuesday.

Of the 28 parties, 11 will contest seats to the National Assembly and all nine provinces in the concomitant national and provincial polls, the IEC said.

Of the three parties that are only fielding candidates for the 400-seat National Assembly, one is called Keep It Straight and Simple (KISS) and another A Party.

South Africa has 117 registered political parties. Monday was the deadline for submission of candidates' list for the elections that the ruling African National Congress of Jacob Zuma is expected to win at national level.

The elections are the fourth since black South Africans voted for the first time in democratic elections in 1994 and are considered to pose the stiffest test yet to the popular ANC's hegemony.

The Congress of the People, a new party formed by a group of breakaway ANC members last year and the official opposition Democratic Alliance have both set their sights on prising free the ANC's grip on power in one or more provinces. (dpa)