Politics of the Northern Cape
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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 2024, the ANC lost three seats and lost its outright majority, while remaining the largest party at 15 seats in the provincial legislature and the Democratic Alliance remained as the official opposition in the legislature. Pursuant to the same election, Zamani Saul was elected Premier of the province.
The Northern Cape was one of three provinces created in the dissolution of the former Cape Province at the end of apartheid; the others are the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape.[1] Parts of the Northern Cape also previously belonged to the nominally independent bantustan of Bophuthatswana, a common destination for black residents forcibly resettled by the apartheid government under the Group Areas Act.[2] During the 1980s, anti-apartheid organisations were active in the province's townships, particularly Galeshewe in Kimberley and Pabalello in Upington.[2]
Government
Executive Council
The current composition of the Northern Cape Executive Council is as follows:
| Portfolio | MEC |
|---|---|
| Premier | Zamani Saul |
| Health | Maruping Lekwene |
| Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Reform | Mase Manopole |
| Social Development, Youth, Women, and People living with Disabilities | Nontobeko Vilakazi |
| Sports, Arts, and Culture | Mangaliso Matika |
| Finance, Economic Development and Tourism | Venus Blennies |
| Roads and Public Works | Fufe Makatong |
| Education | Abraham Vosloo |
| Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements, Traditional Affairs | Bentley Vass |
| Transport, Safety and Liaison | Limakatso Koloi |
