Provinces of South Africa

South Africa is administered under nine provinces. On the eve of the 1994 general election, South Africa’s former homelands, known as Bantustans, were reintegrated into the country, and the four provinces were increased to nine. The borders of Natal and the Orange Free State were retained, while the Cape Province and Transvaal Province were divided into three provinces each, plus North West Province which straddles the border of and contains territory from both of these former provinces. The twelfth, thirteenth and sixteenth amendments to the Constitution of South Africa changed the borders of seven of the provinces.