Election of the National President: South Africa’s Approach and Its Implications for Presidentialism

Abstract

Political Science research on the President’s role in South African politics has been limited and therefore poses a research challenge. In this article, the President’s election by the National Assembly is linked to a number of factors. The legislative electoral system has a direct impact on it; also, South Africa’s government is a hybrid, presidential/parliamentary system; and political party electoral procedures are followed to elect party leaders. The presidential electoral system has several implications for legislative-executive relations, including presidential accountability, approval of the Presidency’s budget by Parliament, and Parliament’s power to remove the President from office. Special attention is paid to the 2019 party campaigns, to the extent of their co-existence with presidential campaigns, and to the parliamentary electoral procedure. Conclusions identify the implications of the fact that the President’s election is primarily determined by the power balance between the main political parties. Especially since 2007, it is also determined by internal party dynamics.