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This is a list of political parties in South Africa. For most of its history, South Africa has been a democratic but one-party dominant state with the African National Congress (ANC) as the governing party, though this has waned as of 2024. The Democratic Alliance (DA) governs the Western Cape Province and a number of municipalities, some in coalitions with smaller parties. The Inkatha Freedom Party, ANC, DA and National Freedom Party have governed KwaZulu-Natal Province since 2024 in a Government of Provincial Unity.
Name | Abbrev. | Founded | Dissolved | Main Ideologies | Peak MPs (year) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging English: Afrikaner Unity Movement | AEB | 1998 | 2003 | Afrikaner nationalism Conservatism | 1 (1999) | |
Democratic Party Afrikaans : Demokratiese Party | DP | 1989 | 2000 | Conservative liberalism Economic liberalism | 38 (1999) | |
Federal Alliance Afrikaans : Federale Alliansie | FA | 1998 | 2007 | Conservatism Libertarianism | 2 (1999) | |
Independent Democrats | ID | 2003 | 2014 | Populism Social liberalism | 7 (2004) | |
National Party Afrikaans : Nasionale Party | NP | 1914 | 1997 | Christian democracy Conservative liberalism | 82 (1994) | |
New National Party Afrikaans : Nuwe Nasionale Party | NNP | 1997 | 2005 | Civic nationalism Conservatism | 28 (1999) |
Name | Abbrev. | Founded | Dissolved | Main Ideologies | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative Party Afrikaans : Konserwatiewe Party | KP | 1982 | 2004 | Afrikaner nationalism Social conservatism | |
Labour Party Afrikaans : Arbeidersparty | AP | 1969 | 1994 | Coloured people's rights Anti-apartheid Labourism Social democracy | |
National Union Afrikaans : Nasionale Unie | NU | 1960 | 1966 | Centrism Social conservatism | |
New Republic Party Afrikaans : Nuwe Republiekparty | NRP | 1977 | 1988 | Conservatism Consociationalism | |
Progressive Federal Party Afrikaans : Progressiewe Federale Party | PFP | 1977 | 1989 | Anti-racism Liberalism | |
Progressive Party Afrikaans : Progressiewe Party | PP | 1959 | 1975 | Anti-racism Liberalism | |
South African Party Afrikaans : Suid-Afrikaanse Party | SAP | 1977 | 1980 | Conservatism Federalism | |
United Party Afrikaans : Verenigde Party | UP | 1934 | 1977 | Conservative liberalism Monarchism |
Name | Abbrev. | Founded | Dissolved | Main Ideologies | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afrikaner Party Afrikaans : Afrikanerparty | AP | 1941 | 1951 | Afrikaner nationalism Conservatism | |
Dominion Party Afrikaans : Dominiumparty | DP | 1934 | 1948 | Conservatism Monarchism | |
Herenigde Nasionale Party English: Reunited National Party | HNP | 1940 | 1948 | Afrikaner nationalism Social conservatism | |
Labour Party Afrikaans : Suid-Afrikaanse Arbeidersparty | LP | 1910 | 1958 | Democratic socialism Social democracy | |
Purified National Party Afrikaans : Gesuiwerde Nasionale Party | GNP | 1935 | 1940 | Afrikaner nationalism Social conservatism | |
Roos Party | RP | 1929 | 1935 | Afrikaner nationalism Monetary reform | |
Socialist League | SP | 1915 | 1921 | Socialism | |
Socialist Party | SP | 1938 | 1948 | Democratic socialism Social democracy | |
South African Party Afrikaans : Suid-Afrikaanse Party Dutch : Zuidafrikaanse Partij | SAP | 1910 | 1934 | Afrikaner nationalism Liberal conservatism | |
Unionist Party Afrikaans : Unionisteparty | UP | 1910 | 1920 | Monarchism Protectionism |
The Republic of South Africa is a unitary parliamentary democratic republic. The President of South Africa serves both as head of state and as head of government. The President is elected by the National Assembly and must retain the confidence of the Assembly in order to remain in office. South Africans also elect provincial legislatures which govern each of the country's nine provinces.
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five parties – the Justice Party, the Real Congress, the United Democratic Civic Organisation, the Unemployed People's Party and the Christian Front – were deregistered