The Eastern Cape province of South Africa is governed in a parliamentary system in which the people elect the Provincial Legislature, the legislature then elects the Premier as head of the executive.
The Premier leads an Executive Council consisting of members overseeing various executive departments.
The provincial government is subject to chapter six of the Constitution of South Africa which forms the supreme law of the province.
Legislature
The Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature, situated in Bhisho, is the legislative branch of the provincial government.
The parliament is made up of 72 members, elected by a system of party-list proportional representation.
An election is held every five years, conventionally at the same time as the election of the National Assembly. The most recent election took place in 2024.
Executive
The Premier of the Eastern Cape province is the head of the provincial government, chosen by the members of the provincial legislature from amongst themselves.
The premier appoints 10 Members of the Executive Council (MECs) to oversee the departments of the provincial government.
The current premier is Oscar Mabuyane of the African National Congress (ANC).
Provincial Cabinet
| Post | Member |
|---|---|
| Premier of the Eastern Cape | Oscar Mabuyane |
| MEC for Agriculture | Nonceba Kontsiwe |
| MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) | Zolile Williams |
| MEC for Economic Development, Environmental Affairs, and Tourism | Nonkqubela Pieters |
| MEC for Education | Fundile Gade |
| MEC for Finance | Mlungisi Mvoko |
| MEC for Health | Ntandokazi Capa |
| MEC for Public Works, Infrastructure, and Human Settlements | Siphokazi Mani-Lusithi |
| MEC for Social Development | Bukiwe Fanta |
| MEC for Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture | Sibulele Ngongo |
| MEC for Transport and Community Safety | Xolile Nqatha |
Departments
Below are the 14 departments in the Eastern Cape Government:
- Office of the Premier
- Department of Community Safety
- Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
- Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism
- Department of Education
- Department of Health
- Department of Human Settlements
- Department of Public Works and Infrastructure
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Social Development
- Department of Sports, Recreation and Arts & Culture
- Department of Transport
- Eastern Cape Office of the Premier
- Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury
Local government
The Eastern Cape Province consists of two metropolitan municipalities and six district municipalities. The district municipalities are divided into 31 local municipalities.
The municipalities are listed below;
- Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
- Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality
- Alfred Nzo District Municipality
- Amathole District Municipality
- Chris Hani District Municipality
- Joe Gqabi District Municipality
- OR Tambo District Municipality
- Sarah Baartman District Municipality
Eastern Cape Public Entities
- COEGA Development Corporation (CDC)
- East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ)
- Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC)
- Eastern Cape Gambling Board (ECGB)
- Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB)
- Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA)
- Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council (ECPACC)
- Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA)
- Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council (ECSECC)
- Mayibuye Transport Corporation (MTC)
Contact Details
The contact details of the Eastern Cape Government are listed in the table below.
| Physical Address: | 4 Independence Avenue, Bhisho, South Africa |
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X0047, Bhisho, 5605 |
| Telephone: | – 040 635 0123 – 040 609 6626 |
| Fax: | – 040 635 0124 – 040 609 6607 |
| Website: | www.ecprov.gov.za |
