Politics
Category : South Africa

1) Government
 

GOVERNMENT STATS

Administrative divisions
 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape

Ambassadors from Finland > Current Finnish Ambassadors > Ambassador Heikki Tuunanen
Ambassadors from Israel > Current Israeli Ambassadors > Israeli Ambassador Ilan Baruch
Ambassadors from the United States > Other senior diplomatic representatives > Ambassador Donald Teitelbaum
Ambassadors from the United States > Other senior diplomatic representatives > Title Chargé d’Affaires
Capital city
 Pretoria (administrative capital)
Capital city > Geographic coordinates 25 42 S, 28 13 E
Capital city > Name
 Pretoria (administrative capital)
Capital city > Note
 Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital)
Capital city > Time difference
 UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Commonwealth Heads of Government > Current Heads > Head of Government Thabo Mbeki
Commonwealth Heads of Government > Current Heads > Title President

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 4 February 1997

Copyright > Reference s. 3(2),
Corruption 4.5 [46th of 160]
countries' copyright length > Usual term of copyright protection 50 pma
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Eric BOST
Diplomatic representation from the US > Consulate(s) general
 Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy
 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX [27] (12) 342-2299
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address
 P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone [27] (12) 431-4000
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery
 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission
 Ambassador Welile Augustine NHLAPO
Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general
 Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX [1] (202) 265-1607
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone [1] (202) 232-4400
Elections > Head of state Election by parliament
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Address 15 Sussex Drive
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Neighbourhood New Edinburgh

Espionage organizations and agencies
 National Intelligence Agency, South African Secret Service, South African National Defence Force Intelligence Division

Executive branch > A note
 ANC-IFP is the governing coalition
Executive branch > Cabinet
 Cabinet appointed by the president

Executive branch > Chief of state
 President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 25 September 2008); Executive Deputy President Baleka MBETE (since 25 September 2008); note - Thabo MBEKI resigned as president effective 25 September 2008; the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Executive branch > Election results
 Kgalema MOTLANTHE elected president; National Assembly vote - Kgalema MOTLANTHE 269, Joe SEREMANE 50, other 41; note - Thabo MBEKI resigned as president effective 25 September 2008, Kgalema MOTLANTHE is serving the remainder of his term

Executive branch > Elections
 president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 25 September 2008 (next to be held in April 2009); note - Kgalema MOTLANTHE is serving out the term of Thabo MBEKI

Executive branch > Head of government
 President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 25 September 2008); Executive Deputy President Baleka MBETE (since 25 September 2008)

Executive branch > Note
 ANC-IFP is the governing coalition

Flag description
 two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes

Flag modification 27 [37th of 197]
Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment November 19, 1992
Foreign relations > Nepal > Date of Establishment July 28, 1994
Foreign relations of Western Sahara > States recognizing the SADR > Date of recognition September 15, 2004
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth 5.57 % [33rd of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ 31,267,630,000 constant 2000 US$ [21st of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita) 666.855 constant 2000 US$ per c [36th of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU 216992000000
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU 307395000000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ 48,340,150,000 $ [20th of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP) 0.202 $ per $1 of GDP [32nd of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita) 1,030.966 $ per capita [37th of 184]
Government type republic
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom Paul Boateng
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom > Resident Heads of Missions > Type High Commission

Independence
 31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared) 27 April 1994 (majority rule)

Independence Day > Date December 11

International organization participation
 ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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

Key ministers > Defence
 Mosiuoa Lekota (ANC)
Key ministers > Education
 Naledi Pandor (ANC)
Key ministers > Finance
 Trevor Manuel (ANC)
Key ministers > Foreign affairs
 Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (ANC)
Key ministers > Health
 Manto Tshabalala-Msimang (ANC)
Key ministers > Labour
 Membathisi Mdladlana (ANC)
Key ministers > Transport
 Jeff Radebe (ANC)
Kuala Lumpur embassies > Neighborhood Titiwangsa
Legal origin
 English

Legal system
 based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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 4 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

Legislative branch > 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

Legislative branch > Elections
 National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held on 14 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

Management time dealing with officials > % of management time 9.19 % [9th of 38]
Mother of the Nation > Name Winnie Mandela
National holiday Freedom Day, 27 April
Parliamentary seats > Female 30% [7th of 143]
Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint 17.91 % [17th of 38]
political parties > Dominant party •

Political parties and leaders
 African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE]; African National Congress or ANC [Jacob ZUMA]; Democratic Alliance or DA [Helen ZILLE]; Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI]; New National Party or NNP; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Motsoko PHEKO]; 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 SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note: note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC

Procedures to build a warehouse > number 17 [87th of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita) 0.341 per 1 million people [145th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number 26 [124th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita) 0.555 per 1 million people [147th of 171]
Procedures to register property > number 6 [85th of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita) 127.964 per 1 billion people [145th of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > % 32.8 % [14th of 174]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number 9 [87th of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita) 0.192 per 1 million people [146th of 171]

Status
 federal democracy

Suffrage
 18 years of age; universal

Time required to build a warehouse > days 174 days [94th of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days 600 days [54th of 171]
Time required to register property > days 23 days [128th of 167]
Time required to start a business > days 35 days [89th of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours 350 hours [49th of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years 2 years [112nd of 151]
Total businesses registered > number 1,783,719 [14th of 71]
Total businesses registered > number (per capita) 38.913 per 1 million people [32nd of 83]
Trademarks, nonresidents 8,074 [17th of 99]
Trademarks, nonresidents (per capita) 201.849 per 1 million people [67th of 146]
Trademarks, residents 10,334 [20th of 98]
Trademarks, residents (per capita) 258.348 per 1 million people [53rd of 142]

Transnational Issues > Disputes > International
 South Africa has placed military along the border to apprehend the thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction and political persecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also supports large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi (6,500), and other states in Africa (26,000); managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa

UN membership date 7 Nov. 1945

United Nations mission
 http://www.southafrica-newyork.net/

Washington, D.C. embassies > Neighborhood Embassy Row


SOURCES
All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; Wikipedia: List of Ambassadors from Finland ; Wikipedia: Ambassadors from Israel ; Wikipedia: Ambassadors from the United States ; CIA World Factbook, 14 June, 2007 ; Wikipedia: Commonwealth Heads of Government ; Wikipedia: List of countries' copyright length ; Transparency International; Wikipedia: Elections by country ; Wikipedia: List of embassies and high commissions in Ottawa ; Wikipedia: Espionage ; CIA World Factbook, December 2003; Flagspot; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Croatia ; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Nepal ; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Western Sahara ; World Development Indicators database; Wikipedia: Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom ; Wikipedia: Independence Day ; Economist Intelligence Unit; Wikipedia: List of Kuala Lumpur embassies ; CIA World Factbook, 28 July 2005; Wikipedia: Mother of the Nation ; United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook; Wikipedia: List of political parties ; electionworld.org; Wisconsin High School Model United Nations; Wikipedia: List of Washington, D.C. embassies

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
South Africa, Republic of South Africa, rep. of s. africa, SAFRICA

 Democracy
 

DEMOCRACY STATS
Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Management Index 2006 6.93 [11th of 118]
Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Status Index 2006 7.98 [18th of 119]
Bertelsmann Transformation Index>Political Transformation 8.7 [15th of 119]
Civil and political liberties 5.5 [33rd of 140]
Electoral system party list
Electoral system type proportional
Female candidacy 1,930 [122nd of 161]
Female ministers 4.4% [110th of 125]
Female parliamentarians 29.8% [11th of 157]
Female suffrage "1930 ,1994"
First female parliamentarian 1933 (elected)
Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment 0.964691126111808 [116th of 183]
Homosexuality laws of the world > Homosexuality laws > Laws against homosexuality
 No, statutes still have age of consent higher at 19 (16 for heterosexuality), under review and yet to be repealed.
Parliamentary elections > Invalid votes 1.5% [78th of 110]
Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout 89.3% [19th of 152]
Parliamentary elections > Total vote 16,228,500 [22nd of 154]
Parliamentary elections > Turnout 63.9 [59th of 117]
Parliamentary elections > Voter registration 18,177,000 [28th of 152]
Parliamentary elections > Voting age population 25,411,600 [25th of 163]
Parliamentary elections > Voting age population (per capita) 573.055 per 1,000 people [76th of 162]
Vote counting technology manual


SOURCES
Bertelsmann Transformation Index online, 2006; http://www.bertelsmann-transformation ... /BTI_2006_Ranking_GB.pdf; Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2000-2001, New York: Freedom House, 2001;
No comment is being made on the state of democracy. Categorizations are based on the electoral law, or the last competitive election held; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was elected or appointed to parliament. March. Geneva; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on women in government at the ministerial level. March. Geneva; calculated on the basis of data on parliamentary seats from IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2002. Parline Database. March 2002; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was elected or appointed to parliament. March. Geneva.; Source: Millennium Development Goals Database | United Nations Statistics Division; Wikipedia: Homosexuality laws of the world ; Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance 2003; Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
South Africa, Republic of South Africa, rep. of s. africa, SAFRICA