Government

South Africa is a nation fashioned from the fabric of contradictions. These contradictions are visible on every level of life, and politics are no exception. ... more

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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