Introduction
Government clusters
National Development Plan
Government priorities
Introduction
South Africa is a constitutional democracy with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary. The national, provincial and local levels of government all have legislative and executive authority in their own spheres, and are defined in the Constitution as distinctive, interdependent and interrelated.
Operating at both national and provincial levels are advisory bodies drawn from South Africa’s traditional leaders. It is a stated intention in the Constitution that the country be run on a system of cooperative governance. Government is committed to the building of a free, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, united and successful South Africa.
Legislative authority
Parliament (national)
- National Assembly (350 – 400 members)
- National Council of Provinces (90 delegates)
Executive authority
Cabinet (national)
- President
- Deputy President
- Ministers
Legislative authority (provincial)
- Provincial Legislature
Executive authority (provincial)
Executive council
- Premier
- Members of the Executive Council
Judicial authority
Courts including the:
- Constitutional Court
- Supreme Court of Appeal
- High courts
- Magistrates' courts
The Judicial Service Commission appoints judges.
State institutions supporting democracy
- Public Protector
- Human Rights Commission
- Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities
- Commission for Gender Equality
- Auditor-General of South Africa
- Independent Communications Authority of South Africa
- Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC)
Government clusters
Government clusters are groupings of government departments with cross-cutting programmes. They foster an integrated approach to governance that is aimed at improving government planning, decision-making and service delivery. The main objective is to ensure proper coordination of all government programmes at national and provincial levels.
The main functions of the clusters are to ensure the alignment of government-wide priorities, facilitate and monitor the implementation of priority programmes and to provide a consultative platform on cross-cutting priorities and matters being taken to Cabinet.
The clusters of the Forum of South African Directors-General (FOSAD) mirror the ministerial clusters. The FOSAD clusters provide technical support to the ministerial clusters.The Director-General (DG) in The Presidency is the chairperson of FOSAD. Ministers enter into delivery agreements with the President, having to give progress reports on their departments’ set targets.
Economic Sectors, Investment, Employment and Infrastructure Development Cluster
The departments in this cluster are:
- Mineral Resources and Energy (Chair)
- Tourism (Chair)
- Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
- Communications and Digital Technologies
- Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
- Employment and Labour
- Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
- Finance
- Higher Education, Science and Innovation
- Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
- International Relations and Cooperation
- Police
- Public Enterprises
- Public Works and Infrastructure
- Small Business Development
- State Security
- The Presidency
- Trade, Industry and Competition
- Transport
- Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (in The Presidency)
Co-Chairpersons:
- Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy
- Minister of Tourism
Governance, State Capacity and Institutional Development Cluster
The departments in this cluster are:
- Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Chair)
- Public Service and Administration (Chair)
- Finance
- Home Affairs
- Justice and Correctional Services
- Public Enterprises
- The Presidency
- Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (in The Presidency)
Co-Chairpersons:
- Minister of CoGTA
- Minister of Public Service and Administration
Social Protection, Community and Human Development Cluster
The departments in this cluster are:
- Health (Chair)
- Basic Education (Chair)
- Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
- Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
- Employment and Labour
- Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
- Higher Education, Science and Innovation
- Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
- Justice and Correctional Services
- Public Works and Infrastructure
- Small Business Development
- Social Development
- Sport, Arts and Culture
- The Presidency
- Transport
- Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (in The Presidency)
Co-Chairpersons:
- Minister of Health
- Minister of Basic Education
International Cooperation, Trade and Security Cluster
The departments in this cluster are:
- Sport, Arts and Culture (Chair)
- Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (Chair)
- Communications and Digital Technologies
- Defence and Military Veterans
- Finance
- International Relations and Cooperation
- Justice and Correctional Services
- Mineral Resources and Energy
- State Security
- The Presidency
- Tourism
- Trade, Industry and Competition
Co-Chairpersons:
- Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
- Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster
The departments in this cluster are:
- Defence and Military Veterans (Chair)
- Police (Chair)
- Finance
- Home Affairs
- International Relations and Cooperation
- Justice and Correctional Services
- Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (The Presidency)
- Social Development
- State Security
- Small Business Development
- Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (in The Presidency)
Co-Chairpersons:
- Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
- Minister of Police
National Development Plan (NDP)
The NDP is South Africa’s socio-economic policy blueprint that focuses, among other things, on:
- eliminating poverty by reducing the proportion of households with a monthly income below R419 per person from 39% to zero and the reduction of inequality
- increasing employment from 13 million in 2010 to 24 million by 2030
- broadening the country’s ownership of assets by historically disadvantaged groups
- ensuring that all children have at least two years of pre-school education and that all children can read and write by Grade 3
- providing affordable access to healthcare
- ensuring effective public transport.
Government priorities
The NDP sets out a long-term vision for the country and is the programme through which South Africa aims to advance radical economic transformation through development planning.
Source: South Africa Yearbook 2023/24
