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; election last held 2 June 1999 (next scheduled for
sometime between May and July 2004)

election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)

note: ANC-IFP governing coalition

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 2 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
ANC 66.4%, DP 9.6%, IFP 8.6%, NP 6.9%, UDM 3.4%, ACDP 1.4%, FF 0.8%,
other 2.9%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NP 28, UDM 14,
ACDP 6, FF 3, other 11; National Council of Provinces - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP
3

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals;
High Courts; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders: African Christian Democratic Party or
ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC
[Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic Alliance (formed from the
merger of the Democratic Party or DP and the New National Party or
NP) [Anthony LEON, leader]; Freedom Front or FF [Constand VILJOEN,
president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI,
president]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA,
president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Congress of South African
Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South
African Communist Party or