This is a list of political parties in South Africa. For most of its recent history, South Africa has functioned as a democratic state but with a one-party dominant system, with the African National Congress (ANC) as the governing party. as a result the country has been governed by a ten-member coalition called the Government of National Unity consisting of the ANC, Democratic Alliance (DA), Patriotic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, Good, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, Freedom Front Plus, United Democratic Movement, Al Jama-ah, and Rise Mzansi. The DA governs the Western Cape Province and a number of municipalities, some in coalitions with smaller parties.
Parliamentary parties
NameAbbr.LeaderEst.Main IdeologiesPoliticalpositionNationalAssemblyNCOP Provinciallegislatures Municipalcouncil seats African National CongressANCCyril Ramaphosa1912Centre to Democratic AllianceDA2000Centre touMkhonto weSizweMKJacob Zuma2023Left-wing (fiscal)Right-wing (social) Economic Freedom FightersEFFJulius Malema2013Far-left Inkatha Freedom PartyIFPVelenkosini Hlabisa1975Right-wingPatriotic AlliancePAGayton McKenzie2013Right-wingto Freedom Front PlusVF+Corné Mulder1994Right-wingActionSAHerman Mashaba2020Centre-right African Christian Democratic PartyACDPKenneth Meshoe1993 United Democratic MovementUDMBantu Holomisa1997Social democracyCentre-leftRise MzansiRISESongezo Zibi2023Third WayCentre-leftBuild One South AfricaBOSAMmusi Maimane2022LiberalismCentre African Transformation MovementATMVuyolwethu Zungula2018Centre-right Al Jama-ahALJAMAGanief Hendricks2007Islamic democracyLeft-wing (fiscal)Right-wing (social)National Coloured CongressCCCFadiel Adams2020 Pan Africanist Congress of AzaniaPACMzwanele Nyhontso1959Left-wingUnited Africans TransformationUATWonder Mahlatsi2022Left-wing GoodGOODPatricia de Lille2018Social liberalismCentre-left
Other parties with representation NameAbbrev.LeaderFoundedMain IdeologiesPolitical positionMunicipal council seatsNational Freedom PartyNFPIvan Rowan Barnes2011EgalitarianismSocial democracyCentre-leftAfrican Independent CongressAICMandla Galo2005Social conservatismCentre-rightForum for Service DeliveryF4SDMbahare Johannes Kekana2015Abantu Batho CongressABCPhilani Mavundla2021MAP16 Civic MovementMAP162018Congress of the PeopleCOPEMosiuoa Lekota2008Social democracySocial liberalismCentre-leftIndependent Civic Organisation of South AfricaICOSAJeffrey Donson2006African People's ConventionAPCThemba Godi2007African nationalismPan-AfricanismLeft-wingAfrican People's MovementAPEMOVikizitha MlotshwaCentre-leftUnited Christian Democratic PartyUCDPIsaac Sipho Mfundisi1997Christian democracyFederalismCentre-rightTeam Sugar South AfricaTSSAMusa Thwala2019Far-leftPlaaslike Besorgde InwonersPBI2016Anti-corruptionBolsheviks Party of South AfricaBPSAFanie Mogotji2016Marxism–LeninismFar-leftUnited Independent MovementUIMNeil de Beer2020CentrismCentre-rightAfrican Democratic ChangeADeCVisvin Reddy2017Anti-corruptionBetter Residents AssociationBRADelta Mokoena(imprisoned)2011LocalismAzanian People's OrganisationAZAPONelvis Qekema1978Black ConsciousnessSocialismLeft-wing to far-leftDemocratic Liberal CongressDLCPatrick Pillay2016LiberalismEnvironmentalismCentreInternational Revelation CongressIRCTe Mammba2013Social conservatismSocial welfarePower of Africans UnityPAUJulius Nsingwane2016South African Maintenance andEstate Beneficiaries AssociationSAMEBAMakgorometse Gift Makhaba2014Afrikan Alliance of Social DemocratsAASDPappie Mokoena2019Social democracyPan-AfricanismCentre-leftAfrica Restoration AllianceARAJerome Swartz2020Minority FrontMFShameen Thakur-Rajbansi1993Indian interestsPeople's Revolutionary MovementPRMNhlanhla Buthelezi2016Social conservatismNational conservatismLeft-wing (fiscal)Right-wing (social)Cape Independence PartyCAPEXITJack Miller2007Cape independenceDirect democracyRight-wingNational People's FrontNAPFBheki Gumbi2018
Non-parliamentary parties
#Hope4SA Africa Muslim Party (AMP) African Change Academy African Christian Alliance (ACA) African Congress for Transformation African Content Movement (ACM) African Covenant (ACO) African Mantungwa Community (AC) African Renaissance Unity (ARU) African Security Congress (ASC) Afrikaner Volksparty Agang South Africa All Things Are Possible Alliance for Transformation for All (ATA) Alliance of Citizens for Change (ACC) Arise SA Afrikaner Resistance Movement (AWB) Black First Land First (BLF) Cape Muslim Congress (CMC) Capitalist Party of South Africa (ZACP) Change Starts Now (CSN) Christian Democratic Party (CDP) Civic Warriors of Maruleng (CWM) Compatriots of South Africa (CSA) Dabalorivhuwa Patriotic Front (DPF) Dagga Party (IQELA LE) Defenders of the People (DOP) Democratic Independent Party (DI) Dikwankwetla Party (DPSA) Economic Emancipation Forum (EEF) ECOPEACE Party (ECOPEACE) Federal Party SA (FPSA) Free Democrats (FREE DEM) Gazankulu Liberation Congress (GLC) Green Party of South Africa (GPSA) Karoo Democratic Force (KDF) Karoo Gemeenskap Party (KGP) Keep It Straight and Simple Party (KISS Party) Kingdom Governance Movement Labour Party Land Party (LAND) National Conservative Party of South Africa (NKP) National People's Ambassadors (NPA) National Religious Freedom Party (NRFP) New South Africa Party Operation Dudula Organic Humanity Movement (OHM) Pan Africanist Movement (PAM) Peace and Justice Congress (PJC) People's Movement for Change (PMC) Socialist Green Coalition (SGC) Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party (SRWP) South African Communist Party (SACP) – part of the ANC-led "Tripartite Alliance" South African National Congress of Traditional Authorities (SANCOTA) South African Political Party (SAPP) South African Rainbow Alliance (SARA) Spectrum National Party (SNP) Sterkspruit Civic Association (SCA) The Peoples Independent Civic Organisation (TPICO) True Freedom Party Truly Alliance (TA) Unite for Change United Congress (UNICO) Uniting People First Us the People (US) Women Forward (WF)http://www.womenforward.org.za Workers and Socialist Party (WASP) Ximoko Party (XP)
Defunct parties +Defunct Parliamentary Parties (1994 – Present)NameAbbrev.FoundedDissolvedMain IdeologiesPeak MPs (year)Afrikaner EenheidsbewegingAEB19982003Afrikaner nationalismConservatism1 (1999)Democratic PartyDP19892000Conservative liberalismEconomic liberalism38 (1999)Federal AllianceFA19982007ConservatismLibertarianism2 (1999)Independent DemocratsID20032014PopulismSocial liberalism7 (2004)National PartyNP19141997Christian democracyConservative liberalism82 (1994)New National PartyNNP19972005Civic nationalismConservatism28 (1999) +Defunct Parliamentary Parties (1958–1994)NameAbbrev.FoundedDissolvedMain IdeologiesConservative PartyKP19822004Afrikaner nationalismSocial conservatismLabour PartyAP19691994Coloured people's rightsAnti-apartheidLabourismSocial democracyNational UnionNU19601966CentrismSocial conservatismNew Republic PartyNRP19771988ConservatismConsociationalismProgressive Federal PartyPFP19771989Anti-racismLiberalismProgressive PartyPP19591975Anti-racismLiberalismSouth African PartySAP19771980ConservatismFederalismUnited PartyUP19341977Conservative liberalismMonarchism +Defunct Parliamentary Parties (1910–1958)NameAbbrev.FoundedDissolvedMain IdeologiesAfrikaner PartyAP19411951Afrikaner nationalismConservatismDominion PartyDP19341948ConservatismMonarchismHerenigde Nasionale PartyHNP19401948Afrikaner nationalismSocial conservatismLabour PartyLP19101958Democratic socialismSocial democracyPurified National PartyGNP19351940Afrikaner nationalismSocial conservatismRoos PartyRP19291935Afrikaner nationalismMonetary reformSocialist LeagueSP19151921SocialismSocialist PartySP19381948Democratic socialismSocial democracySouth African PartySAP19101934Afrikaner nationalismLiberal conservatismUnionist PartyUP19101920MonarchismProtectionism
Other defunct parties
Abolition of Income Tax and Usury Party (1994–?) Boerestaat Party (BSP) Christen Party/Christian Party (2005–?) Christian Democratic Alliance (?–2009) Christian Front (CF) (???–2014) Democratic Left Front (2011–2015) Democratic Party (DP; 1973–1977) Dominion Party (1934–1948) Federation of Democrats (2005–?) Front Nasionaal (FN; 2013–2020) (previously Federale Vryheidsparty) Herstigte Nasionale Party (HNP) Khoisan Aboriginal and Others Movement (2008–?) Liberal Party of South Africa (1953–1968) Nasionale Aksie (NA; 2003–2004) National Alliance (NA; 2009) National Democratic Convention (NADECO; 2005–2009) National People's Party (NPP; 2007–2016) New Labour Party (NLP; 2004–2009) Pro-death Penalty Party (2004?) Progressive Reform Party (1975–1977) Referendum Party (2023–2026) Reform Party (1975–1975) Socialist Party of Azania (SOPA; 1998–2014) South African Business Party (SABP; ?–2012) South African Democratic Congress (Sadeco; 2008–2011) Ubuntu Party (2012–2020) United Independent Front (UIF; 2005–2010) Workers Organisation for Socialist Action (WOSA; 1990–?) Xiluva (2023–2024)
See also Politics of South Africa List of political parties by country
References
External links Independent Electoral Commission ANC's foes rise up Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: Political Parties in South Africa