Editing Politics of South Africa (section)

== Context ==

{{Multiple image
| image1 = ImperialConference.jpg 
| caption1 = The Prime Ministers of the British Dominions attending the [[1926 Imperial Conference]] with [[King George V]] seated in the center. 
| image2 = Nelson Mandela 1994.jpg
| caption2 = [[Nelson Mandela]] was the first democratically elected President of South Africa.
| total_width = 300
|align = left
}}
On 31 May 1910, the [[Cape Colony]], [[Colony of Natal|Natal]] Colony, [[Transvaal (colony)|Transvaal]] and the [[Orange River Colony]] were united in one state called the [[Union of South Africa]]. The Union of South Africa adopted a system of governance based on the political system of the [[United Kingdom]]. The [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|British monarch]] was the ceremonial head of state of South Africa and was represented by a [[Governor-General of South Africa|Governor-General]]. Real political power lay in the hands of the [[Prime Minister of South Africa|Prime Minister]] and Cabinet. The basic ideas of this system such as a three branch government and strong Parliament remain in force today.

On 15 November 1926, the [[Balfour Declaration of 1926|Balfour Declaration]] was adopted at the [[1926 Imperial Conference]]. This document made the dominions of the [[British Empire]] including South Africa equal to each other and the United Kingdom. In practice, this made the Union of South Africa a self-governing dominion of the British Empire. The Union of South Africa became formally independent in 1931 when the [[Statute of Westminster 1931|Statute of Westminster]] was passed. It gave the [[Parliament of South Africa]] the power to make laws for South Africa without the approval of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]].

In 1948, the [[National Party (South Africa)|National Party]] of South Africa adopted a policy of institutional racial segregation called [[apartheid]]. People of colour, especially the majority black population, were deprived of the few rights they had. Racial classification and discrimination was used to distribute economic resources and control political power. The white population, particularly the [[Afrikaners]], controlled the political system. Black people were disenfranchised in all provinces of South Africa.

In 1961, South Africa became a Republic. The British monarch was replaced as head of state by a President elected by the minority of the population through elected representatives. In 1970, the Homeland Citizens Act was passed. It built on the system of reservations for the indigenous black African population to create a system of superficially independent black countries. Many Black people were deprived of their South African citizenship and instead became citizens of the [[Bantustan]] of their tribe. They were not recognized by a majority of the world's countries and the extent of their independent control over internal affairs was highly limited.

The [[African National Congress]] (ANC) led the fight against this system of apartheid. After intense international pressure and domestic struggle, the [[F. W. de Klerk|De Klerk]] government repealed or relaxed many apartheid laws. After negotiations between the ANC, [[Inkatha Freedom Party]], NP and other organizations, apartheid was formally abolished and the [[Interim Constitution (South Africa)|Interim Constitution]] was passed. The Bantustans were abolished and reintegrated into South Africa and their citizens regained South African citizenship.
 
The [[Cabinet of Nelson Mandela|Government of National Unity]] (GNU) established under the interim constitution ostensibly remained in effect until the 1999 national elections. The parties originally comprising the GNU – the [[African National Congress]] (ANC), the [[National Party (South Africa)|National Party]] (NP), and the [[Inkatha Freedom Party]] (IFP) – shared executive power. On 30 June 1996, the NP withdrew from the GNU to become part of the opposition.

Many of the principles of racial equality, majority democracy and minority rights that it established were translated into the final [[Constitution of South Africa]] that was adopted in 1996 and which remains in force. It sets out the structure of the government, protects fundamental human rights, creates mechanisms of accountability and divides legislative and executive power among the national, provincial and local spheres of government.