This is a general guide to help you research all aspects of South African Law. See also the South Africa page on our Human Rights Law Research Guide.
Country information
The modern Republic of South Africa comprises the four former provinces that became the Union of South Africa in 1910: two former British colonies (Natal and Cape Colony) and two former Boer republics (Transvaal and Orange Free State).
South Africa has a population of 56.4 million (2018 figures). It has 11 official languages: Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa and isiZulu. Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English are the most commonly spoken first languages.
The country has three capital cities: the administrative capital / seat of government is Pretoria, the legislative capital is Cape Town, and the judicial capital is Bloemfontein.
The President is the Head of State and governs with a Cabinet comprising Ministers and Deputy Ministers who head the various national government departments.
South Africa is a unitary state comprising nine provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, and Western Cape. Each province is headed by a Premier and an Executive Council.
South Africa is a member of the Commonwealth and the United Nations.
For general information on South Africa, including geography, population, history and economic information, see eg:
Public History and Culture in South Africa: Memorialisation and Liberation Heritage Sites in Johannesburg and the Township Space by 
When Political Transitions Work: Reconciliation as Interdependence by 
Democratization in South Africa: The Elusive Social Contract by
The Making of Modern South Africa: Conquest, Apartheid, Democracy by 