The Limpopo Provincial Legislature is the primary legislative body of the South African province of Limpopo.

Limpopo Provincial Legislature

Limpopo Provinsiale Wetgewer (Afrikaans)
7th Legislature
Type
Type
Leadership
Speaker
Deputy Speaker
Premier
Structure
Seats64
Political groups
Government (48)
  •   ANC (48)

Official Opposition (9)

Other parties (7)

Elections
Party-list proportional representation
Last election
28 May 2024
Meeting place
Government Complex, Lebowakgomo
Website
Official website

It is unicameral in its composition, and elects the premier and the provincial cabinet, the Limpopo Executive Council, from among the members of the leading party or coalition in the parliament.

The first legislature was inaugurated in May 1994 as the Northern Transvaal Provincial Legislature. It was renamed in 1995 to the Northern Province Provincial Legislature, and again in 2003 to the Limpopo Provincial Legislature.

The seventh legislature was elected on 29 May 2024 in South Africa's 2024 general election. The African National Congress maintained its majority and elected the speaker, deputy speaker and premier at its first sitting on 14 June 2024.[1] Dr Phophi Ramathuba was elected the Premier of Limpopo Province, replacing Stanley Mathabatha who exhausted the term limit.

At the commencement of the 7th provincial legislature on 14 June 2024, the number of seats allocated to the Limpopo provincial legislature increased from 49 to 64.[2]

Powers

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The Limpopo Legislature appoints the Premier of Limpopo, the head of Limpopo's provincial executive. The legislature can force the Premier to resign by passing a motion of no confidence. Although the Executive Council is selected by the Premier, the legislature may pass a motion of no confidence to force the Premier to restructure the Council. The legislature also appoints Limpopo's delegates to the National Council of Provinces, allocating delegates to parties in proportion to the number of seats each party holds in the legislature.[3]

The legislature has the power to pass legislation in various fields stipulated in the national constitution; in some fields the legislative power is shared with the national parliament, while in others it is solely reserved to the province alone. The fields include health, education (except universities), agriculture, housing, environmental protection, and development planning.[3]

The legislature oversees the administration of the Limpopo provincial government, and the Premier and the members of the Executive Council are required to report to the legislature on the performance of their responsibilities. The legislature also regulates the finances of the provincial government by way of the appropriation bills which determine the provincial budget.[3]

Election

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The Provincial Legislature consists of 49 members, who are elected through a system of party list proportional representation with closed lists. In other words, each voter casts a vote for one political party, and seats in the legislature are allocated to the parties in proportion to the number of votes received. The seats are then filled by members in accordance with lists submitted by the parties before the election.

The Legislature is elected for a term of five years unless it is dissolved early. This may occur if the legislature votes to dissolve and it is at least three years since the last election, or if the Premiership falls vacant and the legislature fails to elect a new Premier within ninety days. By convention, all nine provincial legislatures and the National Assembly are elected on the same day.

The most recent election was held on 29 May 2024. The following table summarises the results.

 
Results by municipality
  ANC-50-60%
  ANC-60-70%
  ANC-70-80%
  ANC-80-90%
 
PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
African National Congress1,037,62773.30 1.1948 10
Economic Freedom Fighters199,90014.12 0.319 2
Democratic Alliance84,3885.96 0.564 2
Freedom Front Plus15,3931.09 0.331 
uMkhonto we Sizwe12,0270.85New1New
United Africans Transformation11,6530.82New1New
ActionSA9,1800.65New0New
African Christian Democratic Party4,8100.34 0.370
Action Alliance Development Party4,4480.31New0New
Build One South Africa3,7060.26New0New
Pan Africanist Congress3,3320.24 0.090 
Bolsheviks Party of South Africa3,1860.23 0.090 
African People's Convention2,6920.19 0.170 
Congress of the People2,3570.17 0.060 
Patriotic Alliance2,2720.16New0New
Arise South Africa2,1790.15New0New
Rise Mzansi2,1230.15New0New
Able Leadership1,8340.13New0New
Economic Liberators Forum South Africa1,6550.12New0New
Forum for Service Delivery1,4030.10New0New
Socialist Agenda of Dispossessed Africans1,3000.09New0New
South African Maintenance and Estate Beneficiaries Association1,2420.09New0New
African Transformation Movement1,2040.09 0.190 
United Democratic Movement9050.06 0.030 
Inkatha Freedom Party8900.06 0.010 
Operation Dudula7360.05New0New
South African Rainbow Alliance6860.05New0New
All Citizens Party6370.04New0New
National Independent Party4390.03New0New
Lovemore N'dou4250.03New0New
Good3170.02 0.010 
Makonyane Matsobane Gerald2770.02New0New
Al Jama-ah2430.02New0New
African Movement Congress1290.01New0New
Total1,415,595100.0064
Valid votes1,415,59599.04
Invalid/blank votes13,7910.96
Total votes1,429,386100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,779,65751.42
Source: Independent Electoral Commission, Daily Maverick and News24

Previous results

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Prior to 2024, the last election held on 8 May 2019. The following table summarises 6th legislature elections results.

Party Votes Vote % Seats
African National Congress 1,096,300 75.49 38
Economic Freedom Fighters 209,488 14.43 7
DA 78,360 5.40 3
VF+ 20,572 1.42 1
Other parties 47,438 3.26 0
Total 1,452,158 100.0 49

The following table shows the composition of the provincial parliament after past elections.

Event ACDP ANC COPE DP/DA EFF FF/FF+ NP/NNP PAC
1994 election 0 38 0 1 1 0
1999 election 1 44 1 1 1 1
2004 election 1 45 2 1 0 0
2009 election 0 43 4 2 0 0 0
2014 election 0 39 1 3 6 0 0 0
2019 election 0 38 0 3 7 1 0 0

Officers

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The current speaker of the legislature is Makoma Makhurupetje, while the deputy speaker is Tebogo Mamorobela.[4]

Name Entered office Left office Party
T.G. Mashamba 1994 1999 ANC
Robert Malavi 1999 2004 ANC
Tshenuwani Farisani 2004 2009 ANC
Rudolph Phala 2009[5] 2013 ANC
Kwena Elias Nong 2013[6] 2014 ANC
Merriam Ramadwa 2014[7] 2015[8] ANC
Polly Boshielo 2015[9] 2019 ANC
Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya 2019[10] 2020 ANC
Rosemary Molapo 2020 2024 ANC
Makoma Makhurupetje 2024 Incumbent ANC

Members

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References

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  1. ^ "Limpopo Legislature elects first female Premier | SAnews". www.sanews.gov.za. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Electoral Commission on determination of seats for provincial legislatures | South African Government". www.gov.za. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Evans, Sarah (14 September 2019). "Does Zuma hold the power to fire provincial premiers?". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  4. ^ "Limpopo Legislature elects first female Premier | SAnews". www.sanews.gov.za. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  5. ^ Gabara, Nthambeleni (6 May 2009). "Limpopo's newly elected premier announces his Exco". sanews.gov.za. Polokwane. Retrieved 6 April 2020. The new MPLs have elected the chairman of the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa), Rudoph Phala as the Speaker of their Legislature. Mr Phala replaced Dr Tshenuwani Farisani.
  6. ^ "Nong succeeds Phala". Polokwane Observer. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Premier waves 6 MEC's goodbye". ReviewOnline. 21 May 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  8. ^ Hannam, Cheryllee (30 September 2015). "Ramadwa resigns as provincial speaker". ReviewOnline. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  9. ^ "Polly Boshielo sworn in as new provincial speaker". ReviewOnline. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Provincial legislatures swear in new members". sanews.gov.za. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
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