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A premier in South Africa's provinces is the head of the provincial government. This position mirrors the president's role at the national level, functioning as the chief executive and leading the province's executive council. Premiers are chosen by members of the provincial legislature, typically from the dominant political party. Similar to the President and national cabinet, the Premier appoints Members of the Executive Council (MECs) to oversee various provincial departments. [1]
The concept of Premiers in South Africa is directly linked to the establishment of the country's current nine-province system in 1994. This marked a dramatic shift from the previous apartheid era:
Prior to 1994, South Africa consisted of four provinces governed by administrators appointed by the central government. These provinces were established during the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910.
The dismantling of apartheid and the first democratic elections in 1994 led to a significant restructuring of the government.
A key aspect of this change was the creation of nine provinces, incorporating the former "homelands" (Bantustans) into a unified South Africa. These "homelands" were territories designated for specific racial groups under apartheid. Their inclusion aimed to dismantle the spatial segregation enforced by the apartheid regime.
To ensure democratic representation at this new provincial level, the position of Premier was created. Premiers became the elected leaders responsible for heading their respective provincial governments.
South Africa's three-tier system of government – national, provincial, and local – necessitates a complex web of relationships to ensure smooth operation. Premiers, as heads of provincial governments, play a crucial role in intergovernmental relations.
The South African Constitution emphasizes cooperative governance as a core principle. This means all spheres of government – national, provincial, and local – have a legal obligation to work together for the collective good of the country.
Premiers play a vital role in fostering this cooperation within their provinces. They convene Premier's Inter-governmental Forums (PIFs), bringing together local government representatives (mayors) and provincial-level officials (MECs).
PIFs serve as platforms for:
The national government sets the overall policy framework for the country. However, provinces have some legislative and executive autonomy.
Premiers maintain regular communication with the President and national ministers (through bodies like the Ministerial and Member of the Executive Council Meetings – MINMECs).
This allows for:
Despite the emphasis on cooperation, tensions can arise between levels of government.
These might involve:
South Africa has established various mechanisms to address intergovernmental disputes.
These include:
In terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the executive authority of a province is vested in the Premier. The Premier appoints an Executive Council made up of five to ten members of the provincial legislature; they are known as Members of the Executive Council (MECs). The MECs are effectively ministers and the Executive Council a cabinet at the provincial level. The Premier has the power to hire and fire MECs at their own discretion. The Western Cape is the only province where MECs are known as Provincial Ministers and the Executive Council is known as the Provincial Cabinet, in terms of Section 42 of the Constitution of the Western Cape, 1997. [2]
The Premier and the Executive Council are responsible for implementing provincial legislation, along with any national legislation assigned to the provinces. They set provincial policy and manage the departments of the provincial government; their actions are subject to the national constitution and the provincial constitution (if there is one).
In order for an act of the provincial legislature to become law, the Premier must sign it. If the Premier believes that the act is unconstitutional, it can be referred back to the legislature for reconsideration. If the Premier and the legislature cannot agree, the act must be referred to the Constitutional Court for a final decision.
The Premier is also ex officio a member of the National Council of Provinces, the upper house of Parliament, as one of the special delegates from his or her province.
Elections for the nine provincial legislatures are held every five years, simultaneously with the election of the National Assembly; the last such election occurred on 29 May 2024. At the first meeting of the provincial legislature after an election, the members choose the Premier from amongst themselves. The legislature can force the Premier to resign by a motion of no confidence. If the Premiership becomes vacant (for whatever reason) the legislature must choose a new Premier to serve out the period until the next election.
Province | Title | Portrait | Name | Order | Party | Incumbency | First mandate began | Current mandate began | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Cape | Premier | Oscar Mabuyane | 7th | ANC | 5 years, 27 days (22 May 2019) | 2019 Election | 2024 Election | ||
Free State | Premier | Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae | 8th | ANC | 4 days (14 June 2024) | 2024 Election | 2024 Election | ||
Gauteng | Premier | Panyaza Lesufi | 7th | ANC | 1 year, 256 days (6 October 2022) | 6 October 2022 2022 Designation | 6 October 2022 2022 Designation | ||
KwaZulu-Natal | Premier | Thami Ntuli | 8th | IFP | 4 days (14 June 2024) | 2024 Election | 2024 Election | ||
Limpopo | Premier | Phophi Ramathuba | 6th | ANC | 4 days (14 June 2024) | 2024 Election | 2024 Election | ||
Mpumalanga | Premier | Mandla Ndlovu | 6th | ANC | 4 days (14 June 2024) | 2024 Election | 2024 Election | ||
North West | Premier | Lazarus Mokgosi | 7th | ANC | 4 days (14 June 2024) | 2024 election | 2024 election | ||
Northern Cape | Premier | Zamani Saul | 5th | ANC | 5 years, 27 days (22 May 2019) | 2019 Election | 2024 Election | ||
Western Cape | Premier | Alan Winde | 8th | DA | 5 years, 27 days (22 May 2019) | 2019 Election | 2024 Election |
South Africa is divided into nine provinces. On the eve of the 1994 general election, South Africa's former homelands, known as Bantustans, were reintegrated into the country, and the four provinces were increased to nine. The borders of Natal and the Orange Free State were retained, while the Cape Province and Transvaal were divided into three provinces each, plus North West Province which straddles the border of and contains territory from both these two former provinces. The twelfth, thirteenth and sixteenth amendments to the Constitution of South Africa changed the borders of seven of the provinces.
The Constitution of South Africa is the supreme law of the Republic of South Africa. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the republic, it sets out the rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of the Government. The current constitution, the country's fifth, was drawn up by the Parliament elected in 1994 in the South African general election, 1994. It was promulgated by President Nelson Mandela on 18 December 1996 and came into effect on 4 February 1997, replacing the Interim Constitution of 1993. The first constitution was enacted by the South Africa Act 1909, the longest-lasting to date. Since 1961, the constitutions have promulgated a republican form of government.
The Premier of North West is the head of government of the North West province of South Africa. The current Premier of the North West is Bushy Maape, a member of the African National Congress, who was elected premier in September 2021 after the resignation of Job Mokgoro.
The Premier of the Northern Cape is the head of government of the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The current Premier of the Northern Cape is Zamani Saul, a member of the African National Congress, who was elected in the 2019 election. He took office on 22 May 2019.
The Premier of the Eastern Cape is the head of government of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The current Premier of the Eastern Cape is Oscar Mabuyane, a member of the African National Congress, who was elected in the 2019 election. He took office on 22 May 2019.
The Premier of Mpumalanga is the head of government of Mpumalanga province in South Africa. The current Premier of Mpumalanga is Mandla Ndlovu, a member of the African National Congress. He took office on 14 June 2024.
The Premier of the Western Cape is the head of government of the Western Cape province of South Africa. The current Premier of the Western Cape is Alan Winde, a member of the Democratic Alliance, who was elected in the 2019 election. He took office on 22 May 2019.
In South Africa, a provincial legislature is the legislative branch of the government of a province. The provincial legislatures are unicameral and vary in size from 30 to 80 members, depending on the registered voting population of the province. Each legislature is chaired by a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker.
The Premier of the Free State is the head of government of the Free State province of South Africa. The current premier of the Free State is Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae, who was elected on 14 June 2024. She is a member of the African National Congress.
The Premier of Gauteng is the head of government of the Gauteng province of South Africa. The current Premier of Gauteng is Panyaza Lesufi, a member of the African National Congress, who was elected on 6 October 2022, following the resignation of David Makhura.
The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal is the head of government of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The current Premier of KwaZulu-Natal is Thami Ntuli, a member of the Inkatha Freedom Party. He was first elected to assume this position, and took office, on 14 June 2024.
The Premier of Limpopo is the head of government of Limpopo province of South Africa. The current Premier of Limpopo is Phophi Ramathuba, a member of the African National Congress, who was elected on 14 June 2024, following the 2024 national and provincial elections. She is the first woman to hold the office.
In South Africa, the Executive Council of a province is the cabinet of the provincial government. The Executive Council consists of the Premier and five to ten other members, who have the title "Member of the Executive Council", commonly abbreviated to "MEC".
The Constitution of the Western Cape is, subject to the Constitution of South Africa, the highest law regulating the structure and powers of the government of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It was enacted by the Western Cape Provincial Legislature in terms of Chapter 6 of the national constitution, and came into force on 16 January 1998. The Western Cape is the only South African province to have adopted a constitution.
The nine provinces of South Africa are governed by provincial governments which form the second layer of government, between the national government and the municipalities. The provincial governments are established, and their structure defined, by Chapter Six of the Constitution of South Africa.
Like South Africa's eight other provinces, the Northern Cape is governed by a parliamentary system, in which the Premier of the Northern Cape is elected by the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature and in turn selects the Northern Cape Executive Council. As in most other provinces, the African National Congress (ANC) has led the Northern Cape Provincial Government since the end of apartheid. In the most recent provincial election, held in 2019, the ANC won 18 of 30 seats in the provincial legislature and the Democratic Alliance was the official opposition in the legislature. Pursuant to the same election, Zamani Saul was elected Premier of the province.
Barbara Martha Bartlett is a South African politician. A member of the African National Congress, she has been serving as a permanent delegate to the National Council of Provinces since June 2020. From May 2014 to June 2020, Bartlett was a Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature and a Member of the Executive Council in the provincial government.
Pemmy Castelina Pamela Majodina is a South African politician serving as a Member of the National Assembly since 2019. A member of the African National Congress, she is the party's chief whip in the assembly. She was formerly a Member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature between 2004 and 2019 and a Member of the provincial Executive Council for five different portfolios from 2008 to 2019, respectively. Majodina was a permanent delegate to the National Council of Provinces from 1994 to 2004.
Motlalepula Ziphora Rosho is a South African politician. A member of the African National Congress, she was elected deputy speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature in 2010. In 2012 she was appointed as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism in the North West Provincial Government. Rosho was discharged from the executive council in 2014 and then served in the provincial legislature as a committee chairperson until December 2018, when she returned to the executive as MEC for Local Government and Human Settlement. Rosho was appointed as MEC for Finance after the 2019 elections.
The North West of South Africa is governed in a parliamentary system in which the people elect the North West Provincial Legislature and the legislature elects the Premier as head of the executive. The Premier leads a cabinet of MECs overseeing various executive departments. The provincial government is subject to the Constitution of South Africa.