Becoming a Member of Parliament (MP) in South Africa is one of the most significant ways to serve your country. MPs are responsible for making laws, overseeing the work of the executive branch, and enabling public participation by providing a national forum for debating issues of concern. It is a role that carries immense responsibility, influence, and public scrutiny.
Unlike becoming a doctor or a lawyer, there is no specific degree or exam you need to pass to become an MP. The pathway is political rather than academic. You do not apply directly to Parliament. Instead, you must be selected by a political party to appear on its electoral list, or in rare cases, stand as an independent candidate.
How To Become A Member Of Parliament In South Africa
The Basic Constitutional Requirements
Before you can even be considered as a candidate, you must meet the eligibility criteria set out in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.
According to Section 47 of the Constitution, every citizen who is qualified to vote for the National Assembly is eligible to be a member of the Assembly. This means you must be a South African citizen and be at least 18 years old.
However, there are specific disqualifications. You cannot become an MP if any of the following apply to you:
– You are appointed by or in the service of the state and receive remuneration for that appointment or service (with specific exceptions for the President, Deputy President, Ministers, and Deputy Ministers)
– You are a permanent delegate to the National Council of Provinces, a member of a provincial legislature, or a member of a Municipal Council
– You are an unrehabilitated insolvent
– You have been declared of unsound mind by a court of the Republic
– You have been convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment without the option of a fine (this disqualification ends five years after the sentence has been completed)
Additionally, you must be an ANC member in good standing if you wish to be nominated by that party. Similar rules apply to other political parties.
Understanding South Africa’s Electoral System
South Africa uses a system of proportional representation for national and provincial elections. This is fundamentally different from the constituency-based system used in countries like the United Kingdom or the United States.
Under the proportional representation system, voters do not vote directly for individual candidates. Instead, they vote for a political party. Each party submits a list of candidates in a numbered order of preference before the election. The seats in Parliament are then allocated in proportion to the number of votes each party receives.
This means that if a party wins 10% of the national vote, it gets 10% of the seats in Parliament. If a party is entitled to 20 seats, the first 20 people on its party list become MPs. Your position on the list determines whether you get a seat. Being number 50 on a party list when the party only wins 30 seats means you do not become an MP.
There are two types of party lists. The national list determines which candidates go to the National Assembly. There are also regional lists that feed into provincial legislatures.
How Political Parties Select Their Candidates
Because the electoral system is party-list based, your path to Parliament goes through a political party. You cannot simply decide to run for office on your own (though independent candidates are theoretically possible, they are extremely rare in South Africa’s system). You must be nominated by a party and placed on its candidate list.
Different parties have different selection processes. However, the African National Congress (ANC), as the country’s largest party, provides a useful example of the rigorous criteria and processes involved. Smaller parties may have less formal processes, but the general principles are similar.
The ANC Candidate Selection Process
The ANC has introduced strict criteria for those who wish to be nominated for seats in parliament. According to guidelines circulated to party branches, candidates must meet several requirements:
A minimum requirement is that candidates must possess a post-Matric qualification and/or have the capacity, experience, education, or expertise that will enable them to make a constructive contribution in the legislature or executive.
Candidates must have completed the four OR Tambo Leadership School online modules before being registered with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). These modules cover the History of the ANC, Building Organising, Understanding Government, and Economic and Sustainable Development.
Candidates must be ANC members in good standing at the time of nomination.
The ANC has also put in place strict disqualifications. No candidate is eligible for nomination if they have been found guilty by a Disciplinary Committee for contravening the ANC Code of Conduct and had their membership suspended for any period in the last 10 years. This rule also applies to members awaiting the outcome of a disciplinary hearing or an appeal.
Candidates with criminal records or criminal charges brought by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) are also disqualified. Private prosecutions are excluded unless these result in convictions by a court of law.
Candidates whose cases have been finalised by the Integrity Commission with a recommendation for suspension of membership or stepping aside from public office are not eligible.
All candidates must agree to vetting of criminal records and make financial and other interest declarations before final nomination. They must also agree to a lifestyle audit or other investigation.
Build One South Africa’s (Bosa) Recruitment Model
Smaller parties often use more open and community-driven recruitment processes. Build One South Africa (Bosa), for example, opened a candidate recruitment model to identify the best 400 candidates to fill the seats of Parliament.
The Bosa recruitment model has four key aspects:
Community endorsement requiring 1,000 signatures
Candidates’ biographies and CVs are made public
Every candidate is subject to a recall mechanism that allows communities to play a part in recalling candidates who are no longer fit for purpose, corrupt, or dishonest
Bosa’s leader, Mmusi Maimane, stated that South Africans deserve the best of the best in government: doctors, nurses, schoolteachers, entrepreneurs, miners, factory workers, software programmers, academics, lawyers, environmentalists, businesspeople, and governance specialists.
The Role of Political Party Branches
For the ANC and many other parties, the nomination process starts at the branch level. Branches are the basic organisational units of a political party. They are located in specific geographic areas and consist of party members who live or operate in that area.
If you want to be considered for a position on a party list, you need to be active in your local branch. Branches nominate candidates, and those nominations are then submitted to regional and national list committees for further processing, interviews, and vetting.
ANC head of the Electoral Committee Kgalema Motlanthe stated that the Electoral Committee interviewed 300 candidates for the national list, while Provincial List Committees interviewed 700 candidates for the provincial lists.
What MPs Actually Do
Understanding what the job entails is essential before pursuing it. According to Africa Check, MPs have three core functions:
– Make laws: Debate and pass legislation that promotes constitutional values, social and economic justice, and responsive governance.
– Enable public participation: Engage with communities and stakeholders to ensure that citizen views are reflected, particularly in legislation.
– Oversee the work of the executive: Hold the cabinet accountable through reports, debates, and written and oral questions.
Committees are often described as Parliament’s “engine room”. Much of the detailed lawmaking and oversight work happens in committee meetings, not in the main parliamentary chambers. If you become an MP, you will likely serve on one or more committees relevant to your expertise or interests.
Although MPs must be available to the people they represent, just over 30% of working days were allocated to constituency duties in recent years. The rest of the time is spent in Cape Town when Parliament is in session, attending committee meetings, plenary sessions, and other parliamentary business.
How Much MPs Earn
Becoming an MP is a full-time, professional role with a substantial salary package. According to Africa Check’s analysis for a recent financial year, the lowest salary an MP in the National Assembly or National Council of Provinces (NCOP) earns is over R1.3 million per year. The highest is over R3.2 million.
These figures represent total remuneration packages (total cost to company), not basic salary plus benefits. The package includes the basic salary, a flexible portion, a travel allowance, a political office bearers’ allowance, and a contribution to the pension fund. Deductions include tax (PAYE), medical aid, party contributions, village accommodation, and other authorised deductions.
MPs are also provided with “facilities” to enable them to perform their duties. These include:
– 88 one-way domestic trips per year (economy class, some MPs may qualify for business class)
– Airport parking for official parliamentary travel
– Accommodation and subsistence for approved meetings outside Cape Town
– Relocation and establishment support for MPs who have to move to or from Cape Town
– A laptop, tablet, and mobile phone
– Reimbursement for work-related expenses
– Personal accident insurance
– Support for illness, hospital stays, bereavement, and death and funeral assistance
Parliament also has three complexes in Cape Town that house MPs when Parliament is in session.
Unlike in some other countries, South African MPs are barred from undertaking any other remunerative responsibilities outside of their parliamentary work. Should they take up such work, they are obligated to declare it for scrutiny in terms of the Ethics Code.
The Election Timeline and Process
National and provincial elections in South Africa are held every five years. That is 2024, 2029, and so on.
The electoral process is managed by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), a permanent, independent body established under the Constitution. The IEC is responsible for managing national, provincial, and local elections, ensuring that they are free and fair, and announcing election results.
The process generally follows this timeline:
Months before the election, political parties begin their candidate selection processes. Branches nominate candidates. Regional and national list committees interview and vet candidates. Parties finalise their candidate lists and submit them to the IEC.
Parties campaign nationally, presenting their manifestos and candidate lists to voters. On election day, South African citizens vote for the party of their choice. The IEC counts votes and allocates seats proportionally. The first candidates on each party’s list fill the allocated seats.
Newly elected MPs are sworn in, and Parliament elects the President. The President then appoints the Cabinet from among the MPs.
If an MP leaves Parliament before the term ends (through resignation, death, or disqualification), the vacancy is filled by the next person on the party’s list. This is why your position on the list matters so much.
Losing Your Seat
Section 47(3) of the Constitution specifies three ways an MP can lose their seat:
– They cease to be eligible (for example, if they are convicted of a crime resulting in a prison sentence of more than 12 months)
– They are absent from the Assembly without permission in circumstances where the rules prescribe loss of membership
– They cease to be a member of the party that nominated them as a member of the Assembly
The third provision is significant. It means that if you leave your political party, you automatically lose your seat in Parliament. This is known as “floor-crossing” prevention and is designed to maintain the integrity of the proportional representation system. Voters voted for the party, not the individual, so the seat belongs to the party.
Additionally, if you are an ANC MP and are found guilty by a party disciplinary committee or the Integrity Commission, you may be suspended or removed from your position.
Practical Steps To Pursue A Parliamentary Career
If you are serious about becoming an MP, here is a practical roadmap.
Step 1: Get Involved in a Political Party
Join a political party whose values and policies align with your own. Attend branch meetings. Volunteer for campaigns. Make yourself known to local party leaders. Without active party involvement, you will never be considered for a candidate list.
Step 2: Build a Track Record of Service and Expertise
Seek opportunities to serve your community, whether through local government, community organisations, or professional associations. Develop expertise in a relevant field such as law, economics, healthcare, education, or social development. Committees need subject matter experts.
Step 3: Understand Your Party’s Nomination Process
Each party has its own rules. For the ANC, this means completing the four OR Tambo Leadership School modules and ensuring you have no disciplinary or criminal record. For other parties, you need to research their specific requirements.
Step 4: Secure Branch Nominations
Work to get your local party branch to nominate you for a position on the candidate list. This requires building relationships, demonstrating your commitment, and convincing branch members that you would be an effective representative.
Step 5: Pass Vetting and Interviews
If nominated, you will go through a vetting process. This includes criminal record checks, financial declarations, and interviews with party list committees. Be prepared to answer questions about your qualifications, experience, and suitability for public office.
Step 6: Campaign for the Party
Once the candidate list is finalised, your job is to campaign for the party. Your individual name is not on the ballot, but your party’s success determines whether you get a seat. The more votes the party wins, the further down the list they go.
Step 7: Take Your Seat
If the party wins enough seats to reach your position on the list, you will be sworn in as an MP and begin your work in Parliament.
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Conclusion
Becoming a Member of Parliament in South Africa is a challenging but achievable goal. The path is political rather than academic. You must meet the constitutional requirements, join a political party, get involved at the branch level, and work your way onto the party’s candidate list.
The job itself is demanding and rewarding. MPs are well paid, with salaries starting at over R1.3 million per year plus benefits. But the role comes with intense public scrutiny, long hours, and the constant pressure to serve the people who elected your party.
If you have the passion, the integrity, and the drive, Parliament needs people like you. South Africa needs dedicated public servants who are willing to stand up, serve, and make a difference. Your journey starts today, with your first step into your local party branch.