period and come into full
force with the next national elections in April 1999

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Nelson MANDELA
(since 10 May 1994); Deputy Executive Presidents Thabo MBEKI (since
10 May 1994) and Frederik W. DE KLERK (since 10 May 1994) were
elected by the National Assembly
note: any political party that wins 20% or more of the National
Assembly votes in a general election is entitled to name a deputy
executive president; moreover, any party that wins 20 or more seats
in the National Assembly is entitled to become a member of the
governing coalition; currently, the ANC, the IFP, and the NP
constitute a Government of National Unity (GNU)
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral
National Assembly: elections last held 26-29 April 1994 (next to be
held NA April 1999); results - ANC 62.6%, NP 20.4%, IFP 10.5%, FF
2.2%, DP 1.7%, PAC 1.2%, ACDP 0.5%, other 0.9%; seats - (400 total)
ANC 252, NP 82, IFP 43, FF 9, DP 7, PAC 5, ACDP 2
Senate: the Senate is composed of members who are nominated by the
nine provincial parliaments (which are elected in parallel with the
National Assembly) and has special powers to protect regional
interests, including the right to limited self-determination for
ethnic minorities; seats - (90 total) ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP
3
note: when the National Assembly meets in joint session with the
Senate to consider the provisions of the constitution, the combined
group is referred to as the Constitutional Assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: African National Congress (ANC),
Nelson MANDELA, president; National Party (NP), Frederik W. DE
KLERK, president; Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI,
president; Freedom Front (FF), Constand VILJOEN, president;
Democratic Party (DP), Tony LEON, president; Pan-Africanist Congress
(PAC), Clarence MAKWETU, president; African Christian Democratic
Party (ACDP), Kenneth MESHOE, president
note: in addition to these seven parties which received seats in the
National Assembly, 11 other parties won votes in the national
elections in April 1994

Other political or pressure groups: NA

International org