President of South Africa

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The President of South Africa, in full, the President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President, or Staatspresident in Afrikaans.

The President is elected by members of the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, usually being the leader of the largest party, which has been the African National Congress since the first non-racial elections were held on April 27, 1994. The first President to be elected under the new Constitution was Nelson Mandela, who was succeeded by Thabo Mbeki in 1999. In §5, section 88, the Constitution also limits the President's time in office to two terms. Presidents are elected after each parliamentary election, giving presidents a term of office of between five and ten years. Under the interim Constitution (valid from 1994 to 1996), there was a Government of National Unity, in which an MP from the largest opposition party was entitled to a position as Deputy President. Along with Mbeki, the last State President, F.W. De Klerk also served as Deputy President, in his capacity as the leader of the National Party which was the second-largest party in the new Parliament. But De Klerk later resigned and went into opposition with his party. A voluntary coalition government continues to exist under the new constitution (adopted in 1996), although there have been no appointments of opposition politicians to the post of deputy president.

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[edit] Presidential powers and jurisdiction

  • Head of the State and Government of the Republic of South Africa
  • Leader of the Cabinet
  • Appoints ministers and members to the Cabinet
  • Awards and confers the National Orders of the State
  • Commander-in-Chief of the South African National Defence Force
  • Appoints the Chief Justices of the State
  • Must approve all bills, amendments and legislation
  • May declare war or peace

The President is referred to as: "Your Excellency", "Mr/Madam President" or "The Honourable (name)".

The official seat of the President is the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

[edit] List of Presidents of South Africa (1961-present)

[edit] State Presidents as head of state (Ceremonial, 1961-1984)

Name Born-Died Term start Term end Political Party
Charles Robberts Swart 1894 - 1982 31 May 1961 1 June 1967 National Party
Jozua François Naudé (acting) 1889 - 1969 1 June 1967 10 April 1968 National Party
Jacobus Johannes Fouché 1898 - 1980 10 April 1968 9 April 1975 National Party
Johannes de Klerk (acting) 1903 - 1979 9 April 1975 19 April 1975 National Party
Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs 1903 - 1978 19 April 1975 21 August 1978 (died in office) National Party
Marais Viljoen (1st time, acting) 1915 - 2007 21 August 1978 10 October 1978 National Party
Balthazar Johannes Vorster 1915 - 1983 10 October 1978 4 June 1979 (resigned) National Party
Marais Viljoen (2nd time) 1915 - 2007 4 June 1979 (acting to 19 June 1979) 3 September 1984 National Party

[edit] State Presidents as Head of State and Government (Executive, 1984-1994)

Name Born-Died Term Start Term end Political Party
Pieter Willem Botha 1916 - 2006 3 September 1984 (acting to 14 September 1984) 15 August 1989 (resigned) National Party
Chris Heunis (acting for Botha) 1927 - 2006 19 January 1989 15 March 1989 National Party
Frederik Willem de Klerk 1936 - 15 August 1989 (acting to 20 September 1989) 10 May 1994 National Party

[edit] Presidents of post-Apartheid South Africa (also with executive powers, 1994-Present)

Name Born-Died Term start Term end Political Party
Nelson Mandela 1918 - 10 May 1994 16 June 1999 African National Congress
Thabo Mbeki 1942 - 16 June 1999 Present African National Congress

[edit] See also

[edit] External links