South Africa

:This article is about the country called South Africa. For the region, see southern Africa.

Government

:Main article: Government of South Africa

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The Republic of South Africa is a constitutional democracy with a three-tiered system of government and an independent judiciary, operating under a parliamentary system. However, unlike republics with Westminster-style parliamentary systems, the President is both Head of State and Head of Government. The minimum age for voting in South Africa is 18. In the first (1994) democratic elections, permanent residents as well as citizens were allowed to vote. In all subsequent elections, only citizens have been granted this privilege - as is the case with most other nations.

Related Topics:
Constitutional - Democracy - Government - Judiciary - Westminster - President - Head of State - Head of Government - Permanent resident - Citizen

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The government is decentralised: the national, provincial, and local levels of government all have legislative and executive authority in their own spheres, and is defined in the South African constitution as "distinctive, interdependent, and interrelated"—a system of separation of powers.

Related Topics:
Decentralised - Legislative - Executive - South African constitution - Separation of powers

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All bodies and branches of the South African government are subject to the rule of the constitution, which is the supreme law in South Africa.

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The national legislature is the bicameral Parliament, consisting of the National Assembly (the lower house) and the National Council of Provinces (the upper house), which replaced the Senate in 1997.

Related Topics:
Bicameral - Parliament - National Assembly - Lower house - National Council of Provinces - Upper house - Senate - 1997

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Each province has a unicameral Provincial Legislature, from which a Premier is elected, who in turn appoints an Executive Council .

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The judiciary consists of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Appeal, and the High Court.

Related Topics:
Constitutional Court - Supreme Court of Appeal - High Court

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Operating at both national and provincial levels are advisory bodies drawn from South Africa's traditional leaders. The Council of Traditional Leaders being the national body, while each province except the Western Cape and Northern Cape have a House of Traditional Leaders. It is a stated intention in the Constitution that the country be run on a system of cooperative governance.

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