The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Wednesday released the official list of Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Provincial Legislatures (MPLs) due to take up their seats in the national and provincial legislatures following the elections.

There are few surprises, given that the party lists are largely those published before the election, but many expected to return to the National Assembly have missed the cut.

Heading the African National Congress's (ANC's) list for the National Assembly is party president Jacob Zuma, set to become democratic South Africa's fourth President.

Outgoing President Kgalema Motlanthe is second, followed by outgoing Deputy President Baleka Mbete, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

Last to make it into Parliament on the ANC's national list - in 126th place - is Molebogeng Dube.

However, because Zuma will be President and therefore resign as an MP, and Motlanthe's future role, among others, is not yet clear, Vincent Smith (127) and Beatrice Marshoff (128) might still make it into the House.

Dennis Bloem, who left the ANC to join the Congress of the People (Cope) before the election, is still at number 125 on the ANC's list, meaning Eugene Nqcobo (129) should also join his peers in the Assembly.

Intelligence Minister Siyabonga Cwele, at number 131, appears not to have made it, along with Deputy Education Minister Andre Gaum at 145.

The ANC's other 138 MPs - for a total of 264 (down from the 297 it had before the election) - come from the party's nine provincial lists.

Altogether 19 from the Eastern Cape, nine from the Free State, Gauteng 31, KwaZulu-Natal 26, Limpopo 17, Mpumalanga 14, Northern Cape three, North West 11, and eight from the Western Cape made it into the House.

Former Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool, in sixth spot on that list, moves to the Assembly, with former MPs Connie September (9) and Randy Pieterse (10) just missing the cut.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) did not have a national list, and all of its 67 MPs - up from 47 before - come from the regional lists.

The DA's Eastern Cape leader Athol Trollip will make his way to the Assembly along with five others from the province.

A further four will come from the Free State, 19 from Gauteng, seven from KwaZulu-Natal, two each from Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and North West, and 23 from the Western Cape.

Among the DA's current MPs missing the cut are Janet Semple and Sherry Chen.

Party leader Helen Zille heads up the Western Cape provincial legislature list and will become premier.

Cope sees most of its leadership figures heading for Parliament, including Terror Lekota, Mbhazima Shilowa, Mluleki George, Lynda Odendaal, Willie Madisha, Phillip Dexter and Mvume Dandala.

They will be joined by 23 others filling the party's 30 seats won in its first election.

Cope Western Cape premier candidate Allan Boesak heads for the provincial legislature along with two colleagues.

The Independent Democrats will be represented in Parliament by leader Patricia de Lille, and three others, Haniff Hoosen, Lance Greyling and Aristides Seirlis.

Those returning to Parliament for the Inkatha Freedom Party include leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Ben Skosana, Koos van der Merwe, Eric Lucas and Narend Singh.

The IFP will have 18 MPs, down from the 23 it had before the election.

The United Democratic Movement will be represented in the Assembly by leader Bantu Holomisa and three fellow MPs, while Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder also returns with three colleagues.

The remainder of the Assembly's 400 seats will be filled by the African Christian Democratic Party (3), Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (1), United Christian Democratic Party (2), African People's Convention (1), Azanian People's Organisation (1), and Minority Front (1).