South African liberation movement and political party, founded to fight injustices against black South Africans and later to dismantle the apartheid system.
Declared illegal in 1960 and remained outlawed/exiled until its ban was repealed by F.W. de Klerk. Has been in power since the first free and fair elections were held in 1994 and won by Nelson Mandela.
Ideology is one of social democracy and is part of the "Tripartite Alliance" with the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the South African Communist Party (SACP).