The

Western Cape The Western Cape ( ; , ) is a provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the List of South African provinces by area, fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , an ...

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

of South Africa is governed in a

parliamentary system A parliamentary system, or parliamentary democracy, is a form of government where the head of government (chief executive) derives their Election, democratic legitimacy from their ability to command the support ("confidence") of a majority of t ...

in which the people elect the Provincial Parliament, and the parliament elects the

Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...

as head of the executive. The Premier leads a cabinet of provincial ministers overseeing various executive departments. The provincial government is subject to the

Constitution of the Western Cape The Constitution of the Western Cape is, subject to the Constitution of South Africa, the highest law regulating the structure and powers of the government of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It was enacted by the Western Cape Provincial ...

and the

Constitution of South Africa The Constitution of South Africa is the supreme law of the Republic of South Africa. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the republic, it sets out the human rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of t ...

, which together form the supreme law of the province.

Parliament

The Western Cape Provincial Parliament, situated in

Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...

, is the

legislative branch A legislature (, ) is a deliberative assembly with the authority, legal authority to make laws for a Polity, political entity such as a Sovereign state, country, nation or city on behalf of the people therein. They are often contrasted with th ...

of the provincial government. The parliament is a

unicameral Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature consisting of one house or assembly that legislates and votes as one. Unicameralism has become an increasingly common type of legislature, making up nearly ...

legislature of 42 members, elected by a system of

party-list proportional representation Party-list proportional representation (list-PR) is a system of proportional representation based on preregistered Political party, political parties, with each party being Apportionment (politics), allocated a certain number of seats Apportionm ...

. An election is held every five years, conventionally at the same time as the election of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

. The most recent election occurred in

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

Executive

The

premier of the Western Cape The premier of the Western Cape is the head of government of the Western Cape province of South Africa. The current premier of the Western Cape is Alan Winde, a member of the Democratic Alliance, who was elected in the 2019 election. He took o ...

is the head of the provincial government; 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 A director general, general director or director-general (plural: ''directors general'', ''general directors'', ''directors-general'', ''director generals'' or ''director-generals'') is a senior executive officer, often the chief executive officer ...

is the non-political head of the provincial administration, while each government department is led by a head of department. The current premier is

Alan Winde Alan Richard Winde (born 18 March 1965) is a South African politician and businessman. He is the 8th and current Premier of the Western Cape, having held the position since 2019. He has been a Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament si ...

of the Democratic Alliance and the director-general is Harry Malila. Besides the premier, the provincial cabinet consists of ten ministers overseeing thirteen departments.

Provincial Cabinet

Departments

These are the thirteen departments in the Western Cape Government: *

Department of Agriculture An agriculture ministry (also called an agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...

* Department of Economic Development and Tourism *

Department of Community Safety The Department of Community Safety was a Queensland Government department established in March 2009 and dissolved in 2015. The department formed from a merger of the former Department of Emergency Services and the Department of Corrective Services ...

* Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport *

Department of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...

* Provincial Treasury *

Department of Health A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their o ...

Department of Human Settlements The Department of Human Settlements (formerly the Department of Housing, and often referred to as DHS) is the government department, department under the Ministry of Human Settlements of the Government of South Africa, South African government, re ...

* Department of Local Government * Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning * Department of Social Development * Department of Transport and Public Works * Department of Premier

Judiciary

South Africa has a single national judiciary; there is no separate system of provincial courts. The

Western Cape Division The Western Cape Division of the High Court of South Africa (previously named the Cape Provincial Division and the Western Cape High Court, and commonly known as the Cape High Court) is a superior court, superior court of law with general juris ...

of the

High Court of South Africa The High Court of South Africa is a superior court of law in South Africa. It is divided into nine provinces of South Africa, provincial divisions, some of which sit in more than one location. Each High Court division has general jurisdiction ov ...

has jurisdiction over all cases arising in the province, but generally handles only the most serious or high-profile criminal trials, high-value civil trials, cases involving

judicial review Judicial review is a process under which a government's executive, legislative, or administrative actions are subject to review by the judiciary. In a judicial review, a court may invalidate laws, acts, or governmental actions that are in ...

of legislation or executive actions, and appeals from the magistrates' courts. Judges of the High Court periodically go on circuit to hear cases in parts of the province distant from Cape Town. Appeals from the High Court are to the national Supreme Court of Appeal and ultimately (if a constitutional matter is involved) to the

Constitutional Court A constitutional court is a high court that deals primarily with constitutional law. Its main authority is to rule on whether laws that are challenged are in fact unconstitutional, i.e. whether they conflict with constitutionally established ru ...

. The province is divided into 42 magisterial districts and 2 sub-districts, each of which is served by a district

magistrate's court A magistrates' court is a lower court where, in several jurisdictions, all criminal proceedings start. Also some civil matters may be dealt with here, such as family proceedings. Courts * Magistrates' court (England and Wales) * Magistrates' cour ...

. There are a further 12 branch courts and 26 periodical courts to serve densely populated or geographically dispersed districts. These district courts have jurisdiction over all criminal cases except murder, rape and treason and can impose a fine of up to R100,000 or a prison sentence of up to three years; and they have jurisdiction over civil cases where the value of the claim is less than R100,000. The regional magistrate's court for the Western Cape, which sits at multiple locations in the province, has jurisdiction over all criminal cases except treason and can impose a fine of up to R300,000 or a prison sentence of up to fifteen years (or life in some circumstances). The regional court also has jurisdiction over civil cases where the value of the claim is less than R300,000, and divorce and family law cases.

Local government

The

City of Cape Town The City of Cape Town (; ) is a Metropolitan municipality (South Africa), metropolitan municipality that forms the metropolitan municipality (South Africa), local government of Cape Town and surrounding areas. As of 2022 it has a population of ...

metropolitan municipality A metropolitan municipality is a municipality established to serve a metropolitan area. Canada In generic terms and in practical application within Canada, a metropolitan municipality is an urban local government with partial or complete consol ...

is the local council for the Cape Town metropolitan area, which contains two-thirds of the province's population. The rest of the province is divided into five district municipalities which are subdivided into twenty-four local municipalities. The municipalities are listed below. *

West Coast District Municipality The West Coast District Municipality (; ) is a district municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its municipality code is DC1. Moorreesburg is the seat of the district. As of 2011, it had a total population of 391,766. G ...

Matzikama Local Municipality Matzikama Municipality () is a local municipality (South Africa), local municipality which governs the northernmost part of the Western Cape province of South Africa, including the towns of Vredendal, Vanrhynsdorp, Klawer and Lutzville, and the ...

, Cederberg Local Municipality, Bergrivier Local Municipality,

Saldanha Bay Local Municipality Saldanha Bay Municipality (; ) is a local municipality (South Africa), local municipality located within the West Coast District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. , it had a population of 154,635. Its municipality code is ...

Swartland Local Municipality Swartland Municipality () is a Local municipality (South Africa), local municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Malmesbury, Western Cape, Malmesbury is the seat of the municipality. As of 2022, it had a population of 148, ...

Cape Winelands District Municipality The Cape Winelands District Municipality (; ), formerly the Boland District Municipality, is a district municipality located in the Boland region of the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2011, it had a population of 787,490. The large ...

Witzenberg Local Municipality Witzenberg Municipality (; ) is a local municipality located within the Cape Winelands District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2022 it had a population of 103,765. Geography The municipality covers an area of ...

Drakenstein Local Municipality Drakenstein Municipality (; ) is a local municipality located within the Cape Winelands District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. , it had a population of 251,262. Its municipality code is WC023. Geography The municipa ...

Stellenbosch Local Municipality Stellenbosch Municipality (, ) is the local municipality that governs the towns of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Pniel, and the surrounding rural areas, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It covers an area of , and as of 2022 had a po ...

, Breede Valley Local Municipality,

Langeberg Local Municipality Langeberg Municipality (; ), known before 28 August 2009 as Breede River/Winelands Municipality, is a local municipality located within the Cape Winelands District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2022, it had a p ...

Overberg District Municipality The Overberg District Municipality (; ) is a district municipality that governs the Overberg region in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is divided into four local municipalities and includes the major towns of Grabouw, Caledon, Her ...

Theewaterskloof Local Municipality Theewaterskloof Municipality (; ) is a local municipality located within the Overberg District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2022, the population was 139,563. Its municipality code is WC031. The enormous Theew ...

Overstrand Local Municipality Overstrand Municipality (; ) is a local municipality (South Africa), local municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is located along the Atlantic coast between Cape Town and Cape Agulhas, within the Overberg District Municipali ...

Cape Agulhas Local Municipality Cape Agulhas Municipality () is a municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. , it had a population of 33,038. Its municipality code is WC033. It is named after Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa. The largest tow ...

Swellendam Local Municipality Swellendam Municipality () is a local municipality located within the Overberg District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2022, it had a population of 47,114. Its municipality code is WC034. Geography The municipa ...

Garden Route District Municipality The Garden Route District Municipality (; ), formerly known as the Eden District Municipality, is a district municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its municipality code is DC4. Geography The Garden Route District Muni ...

Kannaland Local Municipality Kannaland Municipality () is a local municipality located within the Garden Route District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The municipal area is situated in the western part of the Little Karoo and includes the towns of ...

Hessequa Local Municipality Hessequa Municipality (), known before 24 June 2005 as Langeberg Municipality, is a local municipality within the Garden Route District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is flanked by the lower Breede River to the west ...

Mossel Bay Local Municipality Mossel Bay Municipality (; ) is a local municipality within the Garden Route District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. , the population was 140,075. Geography The municipality covers an area of on the coastal plain bet ...

George Local Municipality George Municipality (; ) is a local municipality within the Garden Route District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. , the population is 294,929. Its municipality code is WC044. Geography The municipality covers an area o ...

Oudtshoorn Local Municipality Oudtshoorn Municipality () is a Local municipality (South Africa), local municipality within the Garden Route District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2022, the population was 138,257. Geography The municipality c ...

Bitou Local Municipality Bitou Municipality (; ), formerly known as Plettenberg Bay Municipality, is a local municipality within the Garden Route District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its municipality code is WC047. Geography The municipali ...

Knysna Local Municipality Knysna Municipality (; ) is a local municipality within the Garden Route District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2022, its population is 96,055. Its municipal code is WC048. Geography The municipality covers ...

Central Karoo District Municipality The Central Karoo District Municipality () is a district municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its municipality code is DC5. Geography The Central Karoo District Municipality is divided into three local municipalities ...

Laingsburg Local Municipality Laingsburg Municipality () is a local municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2022, the population is 11,366. Its municipality code is WC051. Geography The municipality covers an area of on the south-western ...

Prince Albert Local Municipality Prince Albert Municipality () is a local municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. History At the end of the apartheid era, the area that is today the Prince Albert Local Municipality formed part of the Central Karoo Regi ...

Beaufort West Local Municipality Beaufort West Municipality (; ) is a local municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. , the population is 49,586. Its municipality code is WC053. Geography The municipality covers an area of , making it the largest lo ...

References

External links

Western Cape Government

Western Cape Provincial Parliament
{{Western Cape Province