Regeringsvorm van Suid-Afrika: Parlementêr of presidensieel?

Abstract

Without presenting an in-depth discussion on the system of government of South Africa as contained in the respective constitutions of 1990, 1983 and 1960, it is adequate for our purposes to state that, historically speaking, South Africa had a parliamentary system of government. With the new constitutional dispensation the question arises whether the system of government has changed. To answer this important question the following discussion will firstly concentrate on a theoretical framework identifying the core characteristics of a parliamentary and a presidential system. Secondly, an analysis of the South African Constitution (1996) according to the above-mentioned characteristics of a parliamentary and a presidential system, will clearly indicate that the South African constitutional dispensation is still characterised by a parliamentary system of government.