List of political parties in South Africa

Last updated

This is a list of political parties in South Africa. South Africa is a democratic but one-party dominant state with the African National Congress as the governing party. Other parties such as the Democratic Alliance govern the Western Cape Province and municipalities, with some in coalitions with smaller parties. The IFP, ANC, DA and NFP now govern KwaZulu-Natal Province since 2024 in a Government of Provincial Unity.

Contents

Parliamentary parties

NameAbbr.LeaderEst.Main IdeologiesPolitical position National
Assembly
NCOP Provincial
legislatures
Municipal
council seats
African National Congress ANC Cyril Ramaphosa 1912 African nationalism
Social democracy
Centre-left
159 / 400
43 / 90
224 / 487
4,549 / 8,794
Democratic Alliance DA John Steenhuisen 2000 Liberalism
Federalism
Centre
87 / 400
21 / 90
97 / 487
1,494 / 8,794
uMkhonto weSizwe
English: Spear of the Nation
MK Jacob Zuma 2023 Zulu nationalism
Socialism
Social conservatism
Left-wing
58 / 400
9 / 90
58 / 487
0 / 8,794
Economic Freedom Fighters EFF Julius Malema 2013 Communism
Pan-Africanism
Far-left
39 / 400
10 / 90
54 / 487
982 / 8,794
Inkatha Freedom Party IFP Velenkosini Hlabisa 1975 Conservatism
Constitutional monarchism
Right-wing
17 / 400
2 / 90
16 / 487
544 / 8,794
Patriotic Alliance PA Gayton McKenzie 2013 Right-wing populism Right-wing
to far-right
9 / 400
2 / 90
10 / 487
85 / 8,794
Freedom Front Plus VF+ Pieter Groenewald 1994 Conservatism
Afrikaner interests
Right-wing
6 / 400
2 / 90
9 / 487
221 / 8,794
ActionSA ACTIONSA Herman Mashaba 2020 Classical liberalism
Libertarianism
Centre-right
6 / 400
1 / 90
5 / 487
90 / 8,974
African Christian Democratic Party ACDP Kenneth Meshoe 1993 Christian democracy
Social conservatism
Centre-right
to right-wing
3 / 400
0 / 90
2 / 487
49 / 8,794
United Democratic Movement UDM Bantu Holomisa 1997 Social democracy Centre-left
3 / 400
1 / 90
3 / 487
51 / 8,794
Rise Mzansi RISE Songezo Zibi 2023 Third Way Centre-left
2 / 400
0 / 90
1 / 487
0 / 8,794
Build One South Africa BOSA Mmusi Maimane 2022 Liberalism Centre
2 / 400
0 / 90
1 / 487
0 / 8,794
African Transformation Movement ATM Vuyolwethu Zungula 2018 Christian democracy
Conservatism
Centre-right
2 / 400
0 / 90
1 / 487
53 / 8,794
Al Jama-ah ALJAMA Ganief Hendricks 2007 Islamic democracy Left-wing (fiscal)
Right-wing (social)
2 / 400
0 / 90
1 / 487
12 / 8,794
National Coloured Congress CCCFadiel Adams2020 Localism
Cape independence
2 / 400
0 / 90
1 / 487
8 / 8,794
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania PAC Mzwanele Nyhontso 1959 African socialism
Black nationalism
Left-wing
1 / 400
0 / 90
0 / 487
21 / 8,794
United Africans Transformation UATWonder Mahlatsi2022 Pan-Africanism
Socialism
Left-wing
1 / 400
0 / 90
1 / 487
0 / 8,794
Good GOOD Patricia de Lille 2018 Social liberalism Centre-left
1 / 400
0 / 90
1 / 487
45 / 8,794

Other parties with representation

NameAbbrev.LeaderFoundedMain IdeologiesPolitical position Municipal council seats
National Freedom Party NFP Ivan Rowan Barnes 2011 Egalitarianism
Social democracy
Centre-left
52 / 8,794
African Independent Congress AIC Mandla Galo 2005 Social conservatism Centre-right
43 / 8,794
Forum for Service Delivery F4SDMbahare Johannes Kekana2015
32 / 8,646
Abantu Batho Congress ABC Philani Mavundla 2021
25 / 8,794
MAP16 Civic Movement MAP162018
20 / 8,794
Congress of the People COPE Mosiuoa Lekota 2008 Social democracy
Social liberalism
Centre-left
13 / 8,794
Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa ICOSAJeffrey Donson2006
8 / 8,794
African People's Convention APC Themba Godi 2007 African nationalism
Pan-Africanism
Left-wing
14 / 8,794
African People's Movement APEMOVikizitha Mlotshwa Centre-left [1]
United Christian Democratic Party UCDP Isaac Sipho Mfundisi 1997 Christian democracy
Federalism
Centre-right
6 / 8,794
Team Sugar South Africa TSSAMusa Thwala2019 Far-left
7 / 8,794
Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners
English: Concerned Local Residents
PBIIsaac Sipho Mfundisi2016 Anti-corruption
6 / 8,794
Bolsheviks Party of South Africa BPSAFanie Mogotji2016 Marxism–Leninism Far-left
4 / 8,794
United Independent Movement UIMNeil de Beer2020 Centrism Centre-right
4 / 8,794
African Democratic Change ADeC Visvin Reddy 2017 Anti-corruption
3 / 8,794
Better Residents Association BRADelta Mokoena
(imprisoned)
2011 Localism
3 / 8,794
Azanian People's Organisation AZAPOStrike Thokoane1978 Black Consciousness
Socialism
Left-wing to far-left
2 / 8,794
Democratic Liberal Congress DLCPatrick Pillay2016 Liberalism
Environmentalism
Centre
2 / 8,794
International Revelation Congress IRCTe Mammba [2] 2013 Social conservatism
Social welfare
2 / 8,794
Power of Africans Unity PAUJulius Nsingwane2016
2 / 8,794
South African Maintenance and
Estate Beneficiaries Association
SAMEBAMakgorometse Gift Makhaba2014
2 / 8,794
Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats AASDPappie Mokoena2019 Social democracy
Pan-Africanism
Centre-left
2 / 8,794
Africa Restoration Alliance ARAJerome Swartz2020
2 / 8,794
Minority Front MF Shameen Thakur-Rajbansi 1993 Indian interests
1 / 8,794
People's Revolutionary Movement PRMNhlanhla Buthelezi2016 Social conservatism
National conservatism
Left-wing (fiscal)
Right-wing (social)
1 / 8,794
Cape Independence Party CAPEXITJack Miller2007 Cape independence
Direct democracy
1 / 8,794
National People's Front NAPFBheki Gumbi2018
1 / 8,794

Extra-parliamentary parties

Defunct parties

Defunct Parliamentary Parties (1994 – Present)
NameAbbrev.FoundedDissolvedMain IdeologiesPeak MPs (year)
Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging
English: Afrikaner Unity Movement
AEB19982003 Afrikaner nationalism
Conservatism
1 (1999)
Democratic Party
Afrikaans : Demokratiese Party
DP19892000 Conservative liberalism
Economic liberalism
38 (1999)
Federal Alliance
Afrikaans : Federale Alliansie
FA19982007 Conservatism
Libertarianism
2 (1999)
Independent Democrats ID20032014 Populism
Social liberalism
7 (2004)
National Party
Afrikaans : Nasionale Party
NP19141997 Christian democracy
Conservative liberalism
82 (1994)
New National Party
Afrikaans : Nuwe Nasionale Party
NNP19972005 Civic nationalism
Conservatism
28 (1999)
Defunct Parliamentary Parties (1958–1994)
NameAbbrev.FoundedDissolvedMain Ideologies
Conservative Party
Afrikaans : Konserwatiewe Party
KP19822004 Afrikaner nationalism
Social conservatism
Labour Party
Afrikaans : Arbeidersparty
AP19691994 Coloured people's rights
Anti-apartheid
Labourism
Social democracy
National Union
Afrikaans : Nasionale Unie
NU19601966 Centrism
Social conservatism
New Republic Party
Afrikaans : Nuwe Republiekparty
NRP19771988 Conservatism
Consociationalism
Progressive Federal Party
Afrikaans : Progressiewe Federale Party
PFP19771989 Anti-racism
Liberalism
Progressive Party
Afrikaans : Progressiewe Party
PP19591975 Anti-racism
Liberalism
South African Party
Afrikaans : Suid-Afrikaanse Party
SAP19771980 Conservatism
Federalism
United Party
Afrikaans : Verenigde Party
UP19341977 Conservative liberalism
Monarchism
Defunct Parliamentary Parties (1910–1958)
NameAbbrev.FoundedDissolvedMain Ideologies
Afrikaner Party
Afrikaans : Afrikanerparty
AP19411951 Afrikaner nationalism
Conservatism
Dominion Party
Afrikaans : Dominiumparty
DP19341948 Conservatism
Monarchism
Herenigde Nasionale Party
English: Reunited National Party
HNP19401948 Afrikaner nationalism
Social conservatism
Labour Party
Afrikaans : Suid-Afrikaanse Arbeidersparty
LP19101958 Democratic socialism
Social democracy
Purified National Party
Afrikaans : Gesuiwerde Nasionale Party
GNP19351940 Afrikaner nationalism
Social conservatism
Roos Party RP19291935 Afrikaner nationalism
Monetary reform
Socialist League SP19151921 Socialism
Socialist PartySP19381948 Democratic socialism
Social democracy
South African Party
Afrikaans : Suid-Afrikaanse Party
Dutch : Zuidafrikaanse Partij
SAP19101934 Afrikaner nationalism
Liberal conservatism
Unionist Party
Afrikaans : Unionisteparty
UP19101920 Monarchism
Protectionism

Defunct parties

See also

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