[6] National Assembly sittings are now held in the old Good Hope Chamber, which is within the precincts of parliament.

[2][7][8] The National Assembly seats are allocated using a proportional representation system with closed lists.

Every election, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) determines the allocation of the 200 regional list seats to each province by population.

In the election of 1999, the ANC won 266 seats, one short of the two-thirds majority needed to unilaterally amend the constitution.

The DP expanded its representation to become the official opposition with 38 seats, while the IFP won 34.

The NP, now renamed the New National Party (NNP), dropped to 28 seats, and the newly formed United Democratic Movement (UDM) won 14.

In the election of 2004 the ANC obtained 279 seats, gaining a two-thirds majority and the ability to change the constitution.

In the election of 2024 the ANC lost its majority for the first time since the end of apartheid, winning just 159 seats out of 400.

This was in large part due to the formation of the breakaway MK Party founded by Jacob Zuma, which received 58 seats.

After an extensive negotiation process between parties supporting a "statement of intent", a grand coalition, referred to as the Government of National Unity (GNU), was formed by eleven parties,[9] which together holds a supermajority with 288 seats.

[9] The following table shows the party composition of the National Assembly over time: The last finalised election was held on 29 May 2024.

[15] Senior MPs, such as the leader of the opposition and chief whips of the majority party, earn an annual salary of R1,792,595.

[15] According to Business Insider South Africa, SA MPs are in the top 1% earning bracket in the nation.