Capital:
name: Pretoria (administrative capital)
geographic coordinates: 29 12 S, 28 10 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial
capital)
Administrative divisions:
9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape
Independence:
31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in
1961 following an October 1960 referendum
National holiday:
Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Constitution:
10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the
Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then
President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3
February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June
2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June
2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24
April 2004 (next to be held April 2009)
election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National
Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400
seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of
proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the
National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each
of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special
powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of
cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note -
following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February
1997, the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National
Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and
party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities
have been changed somewhat by the new constitution
elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -
last held 14 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC
69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%;
seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other
21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - NA
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts;
Magistrate Courts