List of political parties in South Africa

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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.

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 UAT Wonder Mahlatsi 2022 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

Other Defunct parties

See also

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