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| ! style="background:{{National Party (South Africa)/meta/color}};"| — | ! style="background:{{National Party (South Africa)/meta/color}};"| — | ||
| |]<br /><small>(1915–2007)<br /><small>(''Acting'')</small> | |]<br /><small>(1915–2007)<br /><small>(''Acting'')</small> | ||
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| |21 August 1978 | |21 August 1978 | ||
| |10 October 1978 | |10 October 1978 | ||
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| ! style="background:{{National Party (South Africa)/meta/color}};"| 4 | ! style="background:{{National Party (South Africa)/meta/color}};"| 4 | ||
| |]<br /><small>(1915–1983) | |]<br /><small>(1915–1983) | ||
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| |10 October 1978 | |10 October 1978 | ||
| |4 June 1979<br /><small>(Resigned) | |4 June 1979<br /><small>(Resigned) | ||
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| ! style="background:{{National Party (South Africa)/meta/color}};"| 5 | ! style="background:{{National Party (South Africa)/meta/color}};"| 5 | ||
| |]<br /><small>(1915–2007) | |]<br /><small>(1915–2007) | ||
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| |19 June 1979<br /><small>Acting since 4 June 1979</small> | |19 June 1979<br /><small>Acting since 4 June 1979</small> | ||
| |3 September 1984 | |3 September 1984 | ||
Revision as of 15:16, 20 June 2011
| State President of South Africa | |
|---|---|
| File:South Africa State President 1984.pngStandard of the State President 1985-1994 | |
| Style | The Honourable (until 1985) |
| Appointer | Parliament of South Africa |
| Term length | 7 Years (until 1984) Duration of Parliament (approx 5 years) (1984-94) |
| Inaugural holder | Charles Robberts Swart |
| Formation | 31 May 1961 (Ceremonial Post) 15 August 1984 (Executive Post) |
| Final holder | Frederik Willem de Klerk |
| Abolished | 10 May 1994 |
| Deputy | Vice State President of South Africa (1981-1984) |
State President, or Staatspresident in Afrikaans, was the title of South Africa's head of state from 1961 to 1994. The office was established when the country became a republic in 1961, and Queen Elizabeth II ceased to be head of state. The position of Governor-General of the Union of South Africa was accordingly abolished.
Ceremonial post
The Republic of South Africa was proclaimed on 31 May 1961. Charles Robberts Swart, the last Governor-General, was sworn in as the first State President. The title 'State President' was originally used for the head of state the Boer Republics, and like them, the holder of the office wore a sash with the Republic's coat of arms. However, he performed mainly ceremonial duties, and was elected by members of the country's Parliament, not by popular vote.
The ruling National Party decided against having an executive presidency, instead adopting a minimalist approach, as a conciliatory gesture to English-speaking whites who were opposed to a republic. Like Governors-General appointed after 1948, State Presidents were retired National Party ministers, and consequently, white, Afrikaner, and male.
Executive post
Following constitutional reforms, in 1984, the office of State President became an executive post, as in the United States, and the office of Prime Minister of South Africa was abolished. P. W. Botha became the new State President, until his resignation in 1989, when he was replaced by F. W. de Klerk, who oversaw the transition to majority rule in 1994.
End of white minority rule
Under South Africa's first non-racial Constitution, adopted in 1994, the head of state (and of government) was known simply as the President. Nelson Mandela, leader of the African National Congress, was sworn in as President on 11 May 1994.
List of State Presidents
| # | Name (Born–Died) |
Picture | Took office | Left office | Elected (Parliament) |
Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Presidents as Head of State (Ceremonial, 1961–1984) | ||||||
| style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 1 | Charles Robberts Swart (1894–1982) |
|
31 May 1961 | 31 May 1967 | — | National Party |
| style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| — | Theophilus Ebenhaezer Dönges (1898–1968) |
|
Elected but did not take office because of illness | — | National Party | |
| style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| — | Jozua François Naudé (1889–1969) (Acting) |
.svg)
|
1 June 1967 | 10 April 1968 | — | National Party |
| style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 2 | Jacobus Johannes Fouché (1898–1980) |
|
10 April 1968 | 9 April 1975 | — | National Party |
| style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| — | Johannes de Klerk (1903–1979) (Acting) |
|
9 April 1975 | 19 April 1975 | — | National Party |
| style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 3 | Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs (1903–1978) |
|
19 April 1975 | 21 August 1978 (Died in office) |
— | National Party |
| style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| — | Marais Viljoen (1915–2007) (Acting) |
21 August 1978 | 10 October 1978 | — | National Party | |
| style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 4 | Balthazar Johannes Vorster (1915–1983) |
10 October 1978 | 4 June 1979 (Resigned) |
— | National Party | |
| style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 5 | Marais Viljoen (1915–2007) |
19 June 1979 Acting since 4 June 1979 |
3 September 1984 | — | National Party | |
| State Presidents as Head of State and Government (Executive, 1984–1994) | ||||||
| style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 1 | Pieter Willem Botha (1916–2006) |
|
14 September 1984 Acting since 3 September 1984 |
15 August 1989 (Resigned) |
1987 (20th) | National Party |
| style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| — | Chris Heunis (1927–2006) (Acting) |
|
19 January 1989 | 15 March 1989 | — | National Party |
| style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 2 | Frederik Willem de Klerk (1936–) |
|
20 September 1989 Acting since 15 August 1989 |
10 May 1994 | 1989 (21st) | National Party |
See also
- Governor-General of the Union of South Africa
- President of South Africa
- Prime Minister of South Africa
- Vice State President of South Africa
References
- Blazes Along a Diplomatic Trail: A Memoir of Four Posts in the Canadian Foreign Service (Trafford Publishing, 2000) page 58