List of political parties in South Africa

This is a list of political parties in South Africa. South Africa is a democratic but one-party dominant state with the African National Congress as the governing party. Other parties such as the Democratic Alliance govern provinces and municipalities, with some in coalitions with smaller parties.

Parliamentary parties[]

	Abbreviation	Leader	Year Founded	Main Ideologies	National Assembly Seats	National Council of Provinces Seats
African National Congress	ANC	Cyril Ramaphosa	1912	African nationalism Social democracy	230 / 400 (58%)	54 / 90 (60%)
Democratic Alliance	DA	John Steenhuisen	2000	Economic liberalism Social liberalism	84 / 400 (21%)	20 / 90 (22%)
Economic Freedom Fighters	EFF	Julius Malema	2013	Left-wing Populism Pan-Africanism	44 / 400 (11%)	11 / 90 (12%)
Inkatha Freedom Party	IFP	Velenkosini Hlabisa	1975	Conservatism Economic liberalism	14 / 400 (4%)	2 / 90 (2%)
Freedom Front Plus	VF+	Pieter Groenewald	1994	Afrikaner nationalism Right-wing populism	10 / 400 (3%)	3 / 90 (3%)
African Christian Democratic Party	ACDP	Kenneth Meshoe	1993	Christian democracy Social conservatism	4 / 400 (1%)	0 / 90 (0%)
United Democratic Movement	UDM	Bantu Holomisa	1997	Social democracy	2 / 400 (0.5%)	0 / 90 (0%)
African Transformation Movement	ATM	Vuyolwethu Zungula	2018	Christian democracy Conservatism	2 / 400��(0.5%)	0 / 90 (0%)
Good	GOOD	Patricia de Lille	2018	Environmentalism Social democracy	2 / 400 (0.5%)	0 / 90 (0%)
National Freedom Party	NFP	Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi	2011	Egalitarianism Social democracy	2 / 400 (0.5%)	0 / 90 (0%)
African Independent Congress	AIC	Mandla Galo	2005	Social conservatism	2 / 400 (0.5%)	0 / 90 (0%)
Congress of the People	COPE	Mosiuoa Lekota	2008	Social democracy Social liberalism	2 / 400 (0.5%)	0 / 90 (0%)
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania	PAC	Mzwanele Nyhontso	1959	African socialism Black nationalism	1 / 400 (0.3%)	0 / 90 (0%)
Al Jama-ah	ALJAMA	Ganief Hendricks	2007	Islamic democracy	1 / 400 (0.3%)	0 / 90 (0%)

Former parliamentary parties[]

Active extra-parliamentary parties
	Abbreviation	Leader	Year Founded	Main Ideologies	Peak National Assembly Seats (year)	Peak NCOP Seats (year)
African People's Convention	APC	Themba Godi	2007	African nationalism Pan-Africanism	1 (2014)	0
Agang South Africa	AGANG SA	Andries Tlouamma	2013	Liberalism Progressivism	2 (2014)	0
Azanian People's Organisation	AZAPO	Strike Thokoane	1978	Black Consciousness Socialism	1 (2009)	0
Minority Front	MF	Shameen Thakur-Rajbansi	1993	Indian Minority interests Social democracy	2 (2004)	0
United Christian Democratic Party	UCDP	Isaac Sipho Mfundisi	1997	Christian democracy	3 (2004)	1 (2009)

Defunct Parliamentary Parties (1994 - Present)
	Abbreviation	Year Founded	Year Dissolved	Main Ideologies	Peak National Assembly Seats (year)
Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging	AEB	1998	2003	Afrikaner nationalism Conservatism	1 (1999)
Democratic Party	DP	1989	2000	Conservative liberalism Economic liberalism	38 (1999)
Federal Alliance	FA	1998	2007	Conservatism Libertarianism	2 (1999)
Independent Democrats	ID	2003	2014	Left-wing Populism Social liberalism	7 (2004)
National Party	NP	1914	1997	Christian democracy Conservative liberalism	82 (1994)
New National Party	NNP	1997	2005	Civic nationalism Conservatism	28 (1999)

Defunct Parliamentary Parties (1958 - 1994)
	Abbreviation	Year Founded	Year Dissolved	Main Ideologies
Conservative Party	KP	1982	2004	Afrikaner nationalism Social conservatism
National Union	NU	1960	1966	Centrism Social conservatism
New Republic Party	NRP	1977	1988	Conservatism Consociationalism
Progressive Federal Party	PFP	1977	1989	Anti-racism Liberalism
Progressive Party	PP	1959	1975	Anti-racism Liberalism
South African Party	SAP	1977	1980	Conservatism Federalism
United Party	UP	1934	1977	Conservative liberalism Monarchism

Defunct Parliamentary Parties (1910 - 1958)
	Abbreviation	Year Founded	Year Dissolved	Main Ideologies
Afrikaner Party	AP	1941	1951	Afrikaner nationalism Conservatism
Dominion Party	DP	1934	1948	Conservatism Monarchism
Herenigde Nasionale Party	HNP	1940	1948	Afrikaner nationalism Social conservatism
Labour Party	LP	1910	1958	Democratic socialism Social democracy
Purified National Party	GNP	1935	1940	Afrikaner nationalism Social conservatism
Roos Party	RP	1929	1935	Afrikaner nationalism Monetary reform
Socialist Party	SP	1938	1948	Democratic socialism Social democracy
South African Party	SAP	1910	1934	Afrikaner nationalism Liberal conservatism
Unionist Party	UP	1910	1920	Monarchism Protectionism

Extra-parliamentary parties[]

Abantu Batho Congress
Abolition of Income Tax and Usury Party
ActionSA^[1]
Africa Muslim Party (AMP)
African Change Academy (ACA)
African Content Movement (ACM)
African Covenant (ACO)
African Democratic Change (ADeC)
African Mantungwa Community
African Renaissance Unity (ARU)
Africa Restoration Alliance
African Security Congress
^[2]
Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats (AASD)
^[3]
All Things Are Possible
Alliance for Transformation for All (ATA)
Better Residents Association (BRA)
Black First Land First (BLF)
Bolsheviks Party of South Africa
(BSA) ^[4]
Cape Party^[5]
Christian Democratic Party
Capitalist Party of South Africa (ZACP)
^[6]
Civic Warriors of Maruleng (CWM)
Compatriots of South Africa
Dabalorivhuwa Patriotic Front (DPF)
Dagga Party^[7]
Democratic Liberal Congress (DLC)
Democratic Socialist movement (CWI)
Dikwankwetla Party
Economic Emancipation Forum (EEF)
ECOPEACE Party
- FPSA^[8]
Forum for Service Delivery (F4SD)
Free Democrats
Front Nasionaal (FN) (previously Federale Vryheidsparty)^[9]
Gazankulu Liberation Congress (GLC)
Green Party of South Africa (GPSA) ^[10]
Herstigte Nasionale Party
International Revelation Congress (IRC)
Keep It Straight and Simple Party (KISS Party)
Kingdom Governance Movement
Land Party (South Africa)
National Conservative Party of South Africa
National Democratic Convention (NADECO)
National Party South Africa (NP)
National People’s Ambassadors (NPA)
National People's Front
National People's Party (NPP)^[11]
National Religious Freedom Party
New South Africa Party
(The OHM)^[12]
Pan Africanist Movement
Patriotic Alliance (PA)
Peace and Justice Congress (PJC)
People’s Revolutionary Movement (South Africa) (PRM)
Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners
Power of Africans Unity (PAU)
^[13]
Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party (South Africa) (SRWP)
South African Communist Party (SACP) – part of the ANC-led "Tripartite Alliance"
South African Maintenance and Estate Beneficiaries Association (SAMEBA)
South African National Congress of Traditional Authorities (SANCOTA)
South African Political Party
(SNP)
The Peoples Independent Civic Organisation (TPICO)
^[14]
^[15]
Ubuntu Party
United Congress
Uniting People First
(|US|Thina|Rona|Hina|Rine|Ons|Tsine)
Women Forward^[16]
Workers and Socialist Party (WASP)
Workers Organization for Socialist Action (WOSA)
Ximoko Party

Defunct parties[]

Afrikaner Party (AP)(1941–1951)
Boerestaat Party [BP]
Christen Party/Christian Party (2005–??)
Christian Democratic Alliance (???–2009)
Christian Front (CF)^[17] (???–2014)
Democratic Left Front
Democratic Party (DP) (1973–1977)
Dominion Party(1934–1948)
Federal Alliance
Federation of Democrats (2005–??)
Khoisan Aboriginal and Others Movement
Labour Party (1910–1958)
Labour Party (1969–1994)
Liberal Party of South Africa (1953–1968)
Nasionale Aksie (2003-???2004)
National Alliance^[18]
New Labour Party (NLP) (2004–2009)
Pro-death Penalty Party (2004??)
Progressive Reform Party (1975–1977)
Reform Party(1975–1975)
Socialist Party of Azania
South African Business Party (???–2012)
South African Democratic Congress (Sadeco)(2008–2011)
South African Party (SAP) (1911–1934)
United Independent Front (2005–2010)
United Party (UP)(1934–1977)

References[]

^ "Former Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba launches his new ActionSA party". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
^ Westhuizen, Pieter van der. "ACA Party". Acaparty.org.za. Archived from the original on 2018-08-10. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
^ "Tuisblad - Afrikanervolksparty". afrikanervolksparty.org. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
^ http://www.buildsa.org.za
^ "Cape Party – Free The Cape". Capeparty.com.
^ "CHANGE". Retrieved 8 May 2021.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2012-11-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ https://federalpartysa.github.io/
^ "Legal Notice No 37064". Government Gazette. 581 C. 29 November 2013.
^ https://www.greensouthafrica.co.za/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-11-03. Retrieved 2007-11-01.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) National Peoples Party
^ "The OHM". www.organichumanitymovement.org. Retrieved 2019-05-14.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-09-27. Retrieved 2018-12-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-10-07. Retrieved 2013-10-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Home". trulyalliance.org.za. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
^ [1]^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Five parties deregistered by IEC". Times LIVE. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014. five parties – the Justice Party, the Real Congress, the United Democratic Civic Organisation, the Unemployed People's Party and the Christian Front – were deregistered
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-04-18. Retrieved 2009-04-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

External links[]

[1] "Former Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba launches his new ActionSA party". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 2020-09-07.

[2] Westhuizen, Pieter van der. "ACA Party". Acaparty.org.za. Archived from the original on 2018-08-10. Retrieved 2019-02-19.

[3] "Tuisblad - Afrikanervolksparty". afrikanervolksparty.org. Retrieved 2020-12-07.

[4] ttp://www.buildsa.org.za

[5] "Cape Party – Free The Cape". Capeparty.com.

[6] "CHANGE". Retrieved 8 May 2021.

[7] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2012-11-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[8] ttps://federalpartysa.github.io/

[9] "Legal Notice No 37064". Government Gazette. 581 C. 29 November 2013.

[10] ttps://www.greensouthafrica.co.za/. Missing or empty |title= (help)

[11] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-11-03. Retrieved 2007-11-01.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) National Peoples Party

[12] "The OHM". www.organichumanitymovement.org. Retrieved 2019-05-14.

[13] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-09-27. Retrieved 2018-12-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[14] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-10-07. Retrieved 2013-10-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[15] "Home". trulyalliance.org.za. Retrieved 2020-12-07.

[16] [1]^{[permanent dead link]}

[17] "Five parties deregistered by IEC". Times LIVE. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014. five parties – the Justice Party, the Real Congress, the United Democratic Civic Organisation, the Unemployed People's Party and the Christian Front – were deregistered

[18] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-04-18. Retrieved 2009-04-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

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show v t Political parties in South Africa
National Assembly (with number of seats held)	African National Congress (230) Democratic Alliance (84) Economic Freedom Fighters (44) Inkatha Freedom Party (14) Freedom Front Plus (10) African Christian Democratic Party (4) United Democratic Movement (2) Congress of the People (2) African Independent Congress (2) National Freedom Party (2) Good (2) African Transformation Movement (2) Pan Africanist Congress (1) Al Jama-ah (1)
National Council of Provinces (with number of seats held)	African National Congress (54) Democratic Alliance (20) Economic Freedom Fighters (11) Freedom Front Plus (3) Inkatha Freedom Party (2)
Other parties	Abantu Batho Congress Africa Muslim Party African Change Academy African Congress of Democrats African Content Movement African Covenant African Democratic Change African Mantungwa Community African People's Convention African Renaissance Unity Party African Security Congress Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats Afrikaner self-determination Party Agang South Africa All Things Are Possible Alliance for Transformation for All Azanian People's Organisation Better Residents Association Black First Land First Boerestaat Party Bolsheviks Party of South Africa Cape Independence Party Capitalist Party of South Africa Christen Party/Christian Party Christian Democratic Party Christian Political Movement Civic Warriors of Maruleng Compatriots of South Africa Dabalorivhuwa Patriotic Front Dagga Party Democratic Liberal Congress Dikwankwetla Party of South Africa Economic Emancipation Forum ECOPEACE Party Free Democrats Forum for Service Delivery Gazankulu Liberation Congress Green Party Herstigte Nasionale Party Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa International Revelation Congress Karoo Gemeenskap Party Keep It Straight and Simple Party Kingdom Governance Movement Land Party Minority Front National Alliance National Conservative Party of South Africa National Democratic Convention National Party South Africa National People's Ambassadors National People's Front National People's Party National Religious Freedom Party New South Africa Party Pan Africanist Movement Patriotic Alliance Peace and Justice Congress The Peoples Independent Civic Organisation Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners Power of Africans Unity Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party South African Communist Party South African Maintenance and Estate Beneficiaries Association South African National Congress of Traditional Authorities South African Political Party Ubuntu Party United Christian Democratic Party United Congress Uniting People First Women Forward Workers and Socialist Party Workers International Vanguard Party Ximoko Party
Defunct parties	Abolition of Income Tax and Usury Party Afrikaner Bond Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging Afrikaner Party Afrikaner Volksfront Christian Democratic Alliance Christian Front Conservative Party Democratic Party (1973) Democratic Party (1989) Democratic Progressive Party Democratic Reform Party Dominion Party Federal Alliance Federation of Democrats Front National Herenigde Nasionale Party Het Volk Independent Democrats Independent Party Khoisan Aboriginal and Others Movement Labour Party (1910) Labour Party (1969) Liberal Party of South Africa National Action National Conservative Party National Party National People's Party (1981) National Union New Labour Party New National Party New Republic Party Orangia Unie Pro-death Penalty Party Progressive Federal Party Progressive Party (1890) Progressive Party (1959) Progressive Reform Party Purified National Party Reform Party Socialist Party of Azania Solidarity South African Business Party South African Democratic Congress South African Gentile National Socialist Movement South African Party (1896) South African Party (1910) South African Party (1977) Transkei National Independence Party Union Federal Party Unionist Party United Independent Front United Party Universal Party Volksparty Workers Party of South Africa
Politics portal List of political parties Politics of South Africa

show v t List of political parties in Africa
Sovereign states	Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) Central African Republic Chad Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Eswatini (Swaziland) Ethiopia Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda São Tomé and Príncipe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa South Sudan Sudan Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe
States with limited recognition	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Somaliland
Dependencies and other territories	Canary Islands / Ceuta / Melilla (Spain) (Portugal) Mayotte / Réunion (France) Saint Helena / / (United Kingdom) Western Sahara