South Africa is a constitutional democracy and a parliamentary representative democratic republic with a three-tier system of government consisting of national, provincial, and local levels, each with legislative and executive authority defined by the Constitution
. The government operates under a parliamentary system where the President, who is both the head of state and head of government, is elected by the Parliament for a fixed term and is typically the leader of the majority party in the National Assembly
. The legislative branch is bicameral, composed of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, with the National Assembly holding greater power in practice
. The executive branch includes the President and the Cabinet, with ministers appointed by the President to oversee government departments
. The judiciary is independent and includes the Constitutional Court, which has the authority to strike down laws conflicting with the Constitution
. South Africa’s Constitution, adopted in 1996, is the supreme law and establishes the framework for a free, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, and united state governed by cooperative governance among its three tiers
. The system is multi-party, allowing for democratic representation and accountability through parliamentary mechanisms such as motions of no confidence
. In summary, South Africa is a constitutional parliamentary republic with a three-tier government system, an independent judiciary, and a multi-party democratic framework
