Government of the Western Cape
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The Government of the Western Cape is based on a parliamentary system in which the people elect the Provincial Parliament. The parliament, in turn, chooses the Premier who leads a cabinet of ministers overseeing various executive departments.
The provincial government is subject to the Constitution of the Western Cape and the Constitution of South Africa, which together form the basic law of the province.
Parliament
The Western Cape Provincial Parliament, situated in Cape Town, is the legislative branch of the provincial government. The parliament is a unicameral legislature of 42 members, elected by a system of party-list proportional representation. An election is held every five years as part of the national general election.
As of 2008, the seat breakdown in the provincial parliament is as follows:
| Party | Seats |
|---|---|
| African National Congress | 24 |
| Democratic Alliance | 13 |
| Independent Democrats | 2 |
| African Christian Democratic Party | 2 |
| United Independent Front | 1 |
Executive
The Premier of the Western Cape is the head of the provincial government; he or she is chosen by the members of the provincial parliament from amongst themselves. The Premier chooses a cabinet of ministers to oversee the various departments of the provincial government. The Director-General is the non-political head of the provincial administration, while each government department is led by a Head of Department.
As of 2008 the Premier is Lynne Brown and the Director-General is Virginia Petersen, while the other ministers and heads of department are shown in the following table.
Note that the ministerial portfolios do not always match the departments: a single minister heads both the Treasury and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, while the Department of Local Government and Housing is split between two ministers.
Judiciary
South Africa has a single national judiciary; there is no separate system of provincial courts. 56 Magistrates' Courts, located in towns across the province, handle less serious criminal trials and civil trials for smaller amounts. The Cape of Good Hope Provincial Division of the High Court, located in Cape Town, handles more serious criminal trials, larger civil trials, and appeals from the Magistrates' Courts. Judgments of the High Court can be appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeal and ultimately to the Constitutional Court.