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Country name:
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conventional long
form: Republic of South Africa
conventional short form: South Africa
former: Union of South Africa
abbreviation: RSA |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Pretoria; note - Cape
Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center
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Administrative divisions:
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9 provinces; Eastern
Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga,
North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape |
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Independence:
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31 May 1910 (from
UK); note - South Africa became a republic in 1961 following an
October 1960 referendum |
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National holiday:
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Freedom Day, 27 April
(1994)
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Constitution:
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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 |
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Legal system:
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based on Roman-Dutch
law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age;
universal |
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Executive branch:
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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; 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)
note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Constitutional Court;
Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts |
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Political parties and leaders:
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African Christian
Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African
National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic
Alliance or DA (formed from the merger of the Democratic Party or DP
and the Freedom Alliance or FA) [Anthony LEON]; Inkatha Freedom
Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; Pan-Africanist
Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic
Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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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 - COSATU and SACP are
in a formal alliance with the ANC |
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International organization participation:
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ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS,
C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima MASEKELA
chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Jendayi E. FRAZER
embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048
FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244
consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
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Flag description:
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two equal width
horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green
band which 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 |
Source:
CIA Fact Book
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