The legislative authority of National Government rests in our Parliament, which is made up of 2 sections called "Houses", and sits in Cape Town when in session.  These 2 Houses are the National Assembly (NE) and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). The NE and NCOP approve laws and policies.

The NA is elected every 5 years and is made up of members of Parliament, of which there are 350 - 400. 

The main task of the NCOP is to make sure that provincial and local governments are represented in Parliament. It is made up of a mix of permanent and rotating members. The NCOP has the job of debating and voting on every new law or policy that has an effect on local or provincial government. 

The President is the most important person in National Government. He/She is elected by Parliament and then selects a Cabinet of Ministers and Deputy Ministers. The President acts as the "executive committee" with each Cabinet Minister leading a specific government department. 

The government departments are meant to introduce new laws or policies that are decided by the Cabinet or Parliament. Government departments are ordered in the following way: 

• Director General (person who heads the department)
• Directors (they serve as managers)
• Public servants (these are staff who do the work of government)

Each department has a budget that determines how much they may spend. The Department of Finance places the different budgets into one national budget. This is then approved by Parliament. The national budget has to be spent carefully so departments often have to make do with less money than they would like. 

The President has to work together with all the different departments in order to make sure that Government does as much as possible. The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) determines how the Public Service is structured and what policies it has to follow.

The Department of Provincial and Local Government has the job of making sure that all the provincial and local governments work together properly. The Department of Local Government, which is found in every province in the country, makes sure that the needs of all the different municipalities are seen to. 

Click here for National Government's official website.