South African Political Systems and Citizen Influence

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers student lecture notes on South Africa's political influence mechanisms, election history, judicial system, and media freedom.

Citizens

Individuals who influence political decision making through voting, joining pressure groups, and signing petitions to ensure decisions are right for them.

National Assembly and provincial legislatures

The bodies elected by South African citizens aged 18 and older every 5 years.

Party List system

The electoral system in SA's multi-party democracy that ensures proportional results and that no vote is wasted.

Voter turnout (1994-2024)

The percentage of voters who participated in elections, which has fallen from 87% in 1994 to 58% in 2024.

ANC

The political party that has won all 7 post-Apartheid elections.

Constitutional Court

An independent judicial body consisting of 11 judges with the power to make rulings the National Assembly and government must act upon.

2025 equal parental leave case

A specific Constitutional Court case brought by a married couple that resulted in a ruling for equal parental leave.

Freedom of press

A right protected by SA's Constitution that extends to online blogs and social media.

Social Media Users (2018)

Recorded statistics showing 24 million Facebook users and 9 million X users in South Africa.

ZumaMustFall

A hashtag used 1 million times on social media to influence political discourse.

38th out of 180

South Africa's global rank in media freedom, placing it ahead of the US, Australia, and Japan.

National interest

A stake the government uses, based on an Apartheid law, to limit the rights of bloggers and justify harassment if they report on corruption.