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Our people, our land and our first decade of freedom
The people
The South African population totals over 47 million, comprising a melting-pot of people: the Nguni (consisting of the Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi people); the Sotho-Tswana, who include the Southern, Northern and Western Sotho (Tswana people); the Tsonga; Venda; Afrikaners; English; coloureds; Indians; and those who have immigrated to South Africa from the rest of Africa, Europe and Asia. Small communities Khoi and San also live in South Africa.
The land
There are nine provinces in South Africa - Gauteng, Mpumlanga, Limpopo, North West, Free State, Northern Cape, Eastern and Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Each province has its own legislature, premier and executive council.
The first decade of freedom
In its 13 years of freedom, South Africa has become a vibrant expression of freedom, equality and unity. Government consists of national, provincial and local spheres. The powers of the legislature, executive and courts are separate. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land. No other law or government action may supercede its provisions. South Africa's Constitution is one of the most progressive in the world and has been acclaimed internationally.
In building a free South Africa since 1994, Government has been committed to creating a better life for all its people. Much progress has been made in redressing the social inequalities brought about by apartheid. Millions of lives have been changed through Government's service-delivery programmes in healthcare, social services, housing, education and broadening access to basic services such as water and electricity. In the period 1994 to 2005, more than 1 300 clinics were built or upgraded, over 64 000 classrooms provided and approximately 3,5 million homes connected to electricity. The safety and security of citizens has also been improved by reducing the incidence of serious crime. Much more needs to be done and Government is committed to achieving its election mandate of halving poverty and unemployment by 2014 as well as achieving the millennium development goals.
The country has also strengthened its relations with Africa and plays an active role in the development of the continent. South Africa is a dynamic force within the 14-member Southern African Development Community, and plays a significant role in supplying energy, relief aid during national disasters, transport, communications and outward investment. It has also been a key player in the development of the New Partnership for Africa's Development, a programme which sees Africa's leaders plotting a course of economic growth and poverty eradication.
South Africa is often called the Cradle of Humankind, for this is where archaeologists discovered 2,5-million-year-old fossils of our earliest ancestors, as well as the 100 000-year-old remains of modern man. The unique enchantment of the country derives from such deep legacies encoded in its history and also by moments of monumental change and strides of dynamic progress brought about by a people united in diversity - a winning nation committed to building a better South Africa and a better world.