is a unitary state subdivided into nine provinces. The head of state is the president, who is elected by the National Assembly for a period of five years. The president appoints a cabinet drawn from the ruling party and may appoint members of other parties at his judgment. There is a bicameral legislature consisting of the four hundred seat National Assembly and the ninety seat National Council of Provinces, which is elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures. Elections are held under a list system of proportional representation.
             Although the head of state is the President, South Africa does not have a typical presidential system. Instead South Africa has a Westminster System where the Executive is formed only after elections and represents the strongest party in Parliament. He is therefore accountable to Parliament as in the English/Prime Ministerial/Westminster System. However, unlike the English system, South Africa's system is not based on geographical constituencies as basis for representation in Parliament. It is based, instead, on the typical European system of proportional representation (PR) based on party lists. PR is more conducive to the representation of smaller parties.
             South Africa held its first national elections on the basis of universal suffrage in 1994, declaring the day a public holiday. In order to be eligible to vote, one must be a citizen and permanent resident, age eighteen or older. Citizens absent from South Africa on employment, business, or study commitments are allowed to vote from outside the country in national and provincial
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