abstract
| - The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act (78 of 1995), known commonly as the "1995 Constitution Act" or "the Constitution", has the status of any other ordinary legislation and can be amended by a simple majority of Parliament, however it does determine structure of the South African state. South Africa therefore does not follow the doctrines of separation of powers or judicial review to the extent that they are followed in nations with constitutional supremacy. The seat of government is located in Pretoria, in the Transvaal Province. The State President's seat is in the Union Buildings; Parliament is located in Parliament House and the Supreme Court is located in the Palace of Justice. Prior to 1994, South Africa had three constitutionally recognized capital cities (since 1909) - Pretoria, the executive capital; Cape Town, the legislative capital; and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital. This was due to a compromise between the Cape Colony, the Orange Free State and the Transvaal Republic at the founding of the erstwhile Union of South Africa. The 1995 Constitution Act specifically consolidated the entire central government in Pretoria. Being a unitary state, provincial and local government are entirely responsible and accountable to the central government in the capital Pretoria. Every province (Transvaal, Cape, Natal, Orange Free State and South West Africa) has as its head of government an official known as the Administrator. He is supported by an Executive Council, which is in essence his cabinet. The Administrator is chosen by the State President, and the Executive Council is nominated by the Administrator, to be confirmed by the State President. The Administrator has the authority to adopt provincial legislation (known as Ordinances), which are only of application to that province. The Administrator and Executive Council are collectively known as "the Administration", which is synonymous with "provincial government". Local government in South Africa is a complex system and has been continuously reformed throughout the country's history. As it stands currently, every province is divided into three separate forms of "local authorities" - one for whites, one for coloreds, and one for Indians. These authorities are complex and overlap in several different ways. The majority of colored local authorities are located in the Cape Province, and the majority of Indian local authorities are located in Natal. The rest of the country mostly consists of white local authorities. Black local authorities in the form of tribal chiefs and headmen are also still recognized to a very limited extent, however the central government has over the last two decades committed itself to having all black residents (South Africa has no black citizens) relocated to live within their respective independent homelands. Local authorities are responsible chiefly to the provincial Administrator.
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