African National Congress

The African National Congress (ANC) has been South Africa's governing party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the South African Communist Party (SACP), since the establishment of majority rule in May 1994. It defines itself as a "disciplined force of the left". Members founded the organization as the South African Native National Congress (SANNC) on 8 January, 1912 in Bloemfontein to increase the rights of the black South African population. John Dube, its first president, and poet and author Sol Plaatje are among its founding members. The organization became the ANC in 1923 and formed a military wing, the Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation) in 1961.

It has been the ruling party in South Africa on the national level since 1994. It gained support in the 1999 elections, and further increased its majority in 2004.

Key personalities within the ANC

 * Before 1948: John Dube, Sol Plaatje, Pixley ka Isaka Seme, Alfred Bitini Xuma
 * 1948 to 1994: Chris Hani, Ahmed Kathrada, Albert Lutuli, Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki, Thabo Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Thomas Nkobi, Cyril Ramaphosa, Walter Sisulu, Joe Slovo, Tatamkulu Afrika, Robert Sobukwe, Oliver Tambo, Dulcie September
 * After 1994: Nelson Mandela, Sydney Mufamadi, Thabo Mbeki, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Tokyo Sexwale, Jacob Zuma, Kgalema Motlanthe