{{Short description|Cabinet of a provincial government in South Africa}} {{use South African English|date=May 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} In South Africa, the '''Executive Council''' of a province is the cabinet of the provincial government.<ref name="sainfo" >{{cite web |url=http://www.southafrica.info/about/government/govprov.htm |title=Provincial government |work=SouthAfrica.info |access-date=7 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317022409/http://www.southafrica.info/about/government/govprov.htm |archive-date=17 March 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Executive Council consists of the Premier and five to ten other members,<ref name="natconst">''Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996'', Chapter 6: "Provinces", ss. 125&ndash;141</ref> who have the title "Member of the Executive Council", commonly abbreviated to "MEC".<ref name="sainfo" />

MECs are appointed by the Premier from amongst the members of the provincial legislature; the Premier can also dismiss them. The provincial legislature may force the Premier to reconstitute the council by passing a motion of no confidence in the Executive Council excluding the Premier; if the legislature passes a motion of no confidence in the Executive Council ''including'' the Premier, then the Premier and the MECs must resign.<ref name="natconst" />

The Premier designates powers and functions to the MECs; conventionally they are assigned portfolios in specific areas of responsibility. They are accountable to the provincial legislature, both individually and as a collective, and must regularly report to the legislature on the performance of their responsibilities.<ref name="natconst" />

The Western Cape, the only province to have adopted its own constitution, chose to call its executive council the "Provincial Cabinet", and its MECs "Provincial Ministers".<ref>''Constitution of the Western Cape, 1997'', Chapter 4: "Executive".</ref>

==Membership of executive councils==

The following tables show the members of the nine Executive Councils {{as of|2022|lc=yes}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://apps.gcis.gov.za//gcis/list/list_6.pdf |title=Contact list: MECs of the Provincial Governments |publisher=Government Communication and Information System |date=10 July 2013 |access-date=22 September 2013}}</ref>

===Eastern Cape === {{Main|Executive Council of the Eastern Cape}} {{Eastern Cape Executive Council table}}

===Free State=== {{Main|Executive Council of the Free State}} {{Free State Executive Council table}}

===Gauteng=== {{Main|Executive Council of Gauteng}} {{Gauteng Executive Council table}}

===KwaZulu-Natal=== {{Main|Executive Council of KwaZulu-Natal}} {{KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council table}}

===Limpopo=== {{Main|Executive Council of Limpopo}} {{Limpopo Executive Council table}}

===Mpumalanga=== {{Main|Executive Council of Mpumalanga}} {{Mpumalanga Executive Council table}}

===North West=== {{Main|Executive Council of the North West}} {{North West Executive Council table}}

===Northern Cape=== {{Main|Executive Council of the Northern Cape}} {{Northern Cape Executive Council table}}

===Western Cape=== {{Main|Executive Council of the Western Cape}} {{Western Cape Provincial Cabinet table}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Provincial governments of South Africa