Government

1994 saw the promise of a new era in South Africa with Nelson Mandela’s declaration that the people of South Africa want change, and change is what they will get. After more than 300 years of white rule, in South Africa’s first ever fully represented democratic elections, the African National Congress (ANC) won 252 of the 400 seats, making Mandela the first-ever black President of the country.

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Having emerged from the international isolation of the apartheid era in 1994, South Africa today plays a prominent role in the international community. The most important international organisations of which South Africa is a member include the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU). ... more

South Africa has an independent judiciary, subject only to the Constitution and the law.

The country’s legal system is based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law. Although it was radically transformed after 1994, many laws unrelated to apartheid continued to be rooted in the old legal system. However, the post-apartheid legal system included new provisions, such as a prohibition on all forms of discrimination and an emphasis on individual rights. ... more

South African parliament is a legislative body that consists of two Houses, the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces. The members of the parliament are elected by universal suffrage since 1994. Before that, the right to vote was restricted to white South Africans.

Each house of the parliament has its own functions and powers. ... more

The President is the head of state and of the national executive. He exercises executive authority together with other members of the Cabinet, namely the Deputy President and Ministers. The executive develops policy, for example by preparing and initiating legislation which it submits to Parliament for approval. It then implements that policy by running the administration of the country by means of the different government departments. ... more