Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996
Executive authority of provinces
- Jurisdiction
- South Africa
- Provision
- 125
- Source language
- English
- Recorded status
- in force
More details
- Recorded status
- in force
Provision text
Official source(1) The executive authority of a province is vested in the Premier of that province.
(2) The Premier exercises the executive authority, together with the other members of
the Executive Council, by—
(a) implementing provincial legislation in the province;
(b) implementing all national legislation within the functional areas listed in
Schedule 4 or 5 except where the Constitution or an Act of Parliament provides
otherwise;
(c) administering in the province, national legislation outside the functional areas
listed in Schedules 4 and 5, the administration of which has been assigned to
the provincial executive in terms of an Act of Parliament;
(d) developing and implementing provincial policy;
(e) co-ordinating the functions of the provincial administration and its
departments;
(f) preparing and initiating provincial legislation; and
(g) performing any other function assigned to the provincial executive in terms of
the Constitution or an Act of Parliament.
(3) A province has executive authority in terms of subsection (2)(b) only to the extent
that the province has the administrative capacity to assume effective responsibility.
The national government, by legislative and other measures, must assist provinces
to develop the administrative capacity required for the effective exercise of their
powers and performance of their functions referred to in subsection (2).
(4) Any dispute concerning the administrative capacity of a province in regard to any
function must be referred to the National Council of Provinces for resolution within
30 days of the date of the referral to the Council.
(5) Subject to section 100, the implementation of provincial legislation in a province is
an exclusive provincial executive power.
(6) The provincial executive must act in accordance with—
(a) the Constitution; and
(b) the provincial constitution, if a constitution has been passed for the province.
Source record
Source and verification
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 · justice.gov.za · Retrieved 17 August 2026.
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