▁it ▁to ▁the ▁Final ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁contest , ▁representing ▁South ▁Africa , ▁Z amb ia , ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁e Sw at ini , ▁R w anda , ▁Mal aw i , ▁Gh ana , ▁Niger ia , ▁Moz amb ique , ▁Cam ero on ▁and ▁C ô te ▁d ’ I vo ire . ▁ ▁A ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁ 2 ▁ 6 5 1 ▁ 1 6 2 ▁general ▁public ▁votes ▁and ▁jud ging ▁panel ▁combined ▁across ▁ 1 3 ▁countries , ▁saw ▁the ▁und isc over ed ▁Af rop op ▁song writer ▁and ▁singer , ▁Non zw ak azi ▁representing ▁South ▁Africa , ▁take ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁A fri Music ▁Song ▁Cont est ▁title . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁change ▁compared ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁edition , ▁not ▁all ▁countries ▁were ▁automatically ▁guaranteed ▁participation ▁in ▁the ▁Final : ▁ 1 3 ▁countries ▁were ▁split ▁into ▁three ▁Country ▁Gr oups ▁with ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁entries ▁from ▁each ▁Country ▁Group ▁to ▁progress ▁to ▁the ▁Final . ▁Regional ▁Se lections ▁voting ▁took ▁place ▁from ▁ 1 1 ▁to ▁ 2 5 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁Inter mediate ▁Public ▁voting ▁results ▁were ▁released ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁and ▁ 2 2 ▁March . ▁▁ 2 0 ▁entries ▁representing ▁ 1 0 ▁countries ▁chosen ▁by ▁Public ▁and ▁Ex pert ▁Pan els ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁Final ▁were ▁announced ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁Gh ana ▁will ▁be ▁represented ▁by ▁five ▁acts