President of South Africa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2009) |
| President of the Republic of South Africa |
|
|---|---|
 Emblem of the President of South Africa |
|
| Residence | Mahlamba Ndlopfu (Bryntirion, Pretoria) Genadendal (Cape Town) |
| Appointer | National Assembly of South Africa |
| Term length | 5 years |
| Inaugural holder | Charles Robberts Swart (State President) Nelson Mandela (President) |
| Formation | 31 May 1961 (State President) 10 May 1994 (President of South Africa) |
| Deputy | Deputy President of South Africa |
| Website | http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/ |
| South Africa | ||
 This article is part of the series: |
||
|
|
||
|
||
|
|
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.
The President is elected by members of the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, and is usually the leader of the largest party, which has been the African National Congress since the first non-racial elections were held on 27 April 1994. The role was originally founded to be distinct from the now defunct role of prime minister, but the two roles were merged in the 1984 constitution. The constitution limits the president's time in office to two four-year terms.[1] The first President to be elected under the new constitution was Nelson Mandela, and the incumbent president is Jacob Zuma.
Contents |
[edit] Presidential powers
- Head of 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 are the Union Buildings in Pretoria and the Tuynhuys in Cape Town. His living residences are Mahlamba Ndlopfu in Pretoria and Genadendal in Cape Town.
[edit] List of Presidents of South Africa (1961–present)
National Party African National Congress
| # | Name (Born–Died) |
Picture | Took office | Left office | Elected (Parliament) |
Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Presidents as Head of State (Ceremonial, 1961–1984) | ||||||
| 1 | Charles Robberts Swart (1894–1982) |
 |
31 May 1961 | 31 May 1967 | — | National Party |
| — | Theophilus Ebenhaezer Dönges (1898–1968) |
 |
Elected but did not take office because of illness | — | National Party | |
| — | Jozua François Naudé (1889–1969) (Acting) |
 |
1 June 1967 | 10 April 1968 | — | National Party |
| 2 | Jacobus Johannes Fouché (1898–1980) |
|
10 April 1968 | 9 April 1975 (Died in office) |
— | National Party |
| — | Johannes de Klerk (1903–1979) (Acting) |
 |
9 April 1975 | 19 April 1975 | — | National Party |
| 3 | Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs (1903–1978) |
|
19 April 1975 | 21 August 1978 (Died in office) |
— | National Party |
| — | Marais Viljoen (1915–2007) (Acting) |
 |
21 August 1978 | 10 October 1978 | — | National Party |
| 4 | Balthazar Johannes Vorster (1915–1983) |
 |
10 October 1978 | 4 June 1979 (Resigned) |
— | National Party |
| 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) | ||||||
| 1 | Pieter Willem Botha (1916–2006) |
|
14 September 1984 Acting since 3 September 1984 |
15 August 1989 (Resigned) |
1987 (20th) | National Party |
| — | Chris Heunis (1927–2006) (Acting) |
|
19 January 1989 | 15 March 1989 | — | National Party |
| 2 | Frederik Willem de Klerk (1936–) |
 |
20 September 1989 Acting since 15 August 1989 |
10 May 1994 | 1989 (21st) | National Party |
| Presidents of post-Apartheid South Africa (also with executive powers, since 1994) | ||||||
| 1 | Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918–) |
 |
10 May 1994 | 16 June 1999 | 1994 (22nd) | African National Congress |
| 2 | Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (1942–) |
 |
16 June 1999 | 24 September 2008 (Resigned) |
1999 (23rd) 2004 (24th) |
African National Congress |
| 3 | Kgalema Petrus Motlanthe (1949–) |
 |
25 September 2008 | 9 May 2009[2] | — | African National Congress |
| 4 | Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (1942–) |
 |
9 May 2009[2] | Incumbent | 2009 (25th) | African National Congress |
[edit] First Ladies
- 1961 – 1967 Nellie Swart
- 1968 – 1975 Aletta Fouché
- 1975 – 1978 Marga Diederichs
- 1978 – 1979 Tini Vorster
- 1979 – 1984 Dorothea Viljoen
- 1984 – 1989 Elize Botha
- 1989 – 1994 Marike de Klerk
- 1994 – 1996 Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
- 1996 – 1998 First Daughter Zindzi Mandela-Hlongwane
- 1998 – 1999 Graça Machel
- 1999 – 2008 Zanele Mbeki
- 2008 – 2009 Mapula Motlanthe[3]
- 2009–present Sizakele Zuma,[4] Nompumelelo Ntuli Zuma[5] (both Sizakele Zuma and Nompumelelo Ntuli Zuma have been referred to on the official Presidency of South Africa website as First Lady)
[edit] Timeline
[edit] Latest election
Main article: South African presidential election, 2009
[edit] See also
- State President of South Africa
- Prime Minister of South Africa
- Governor-General of the Union of South Africa
- List of Presidents of the South African Republic (1857–1902)
- State President of the Orange Free State
- Freedom Day
[edit] References
- ^ "Constitution, chapter 5: The President and National Executive, 88. Term of office of President". http://www.info.gov.za/documents/constitution/1996/96cons5.htm#88.
- ^ a b "Zuma sworn in as SA’s fourth democratic President". SABC. 9 May 2009. http://196.35.74.238/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=82f7f279f6421210VgnVCM10000077d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=home. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
- ^ http://blogs.thetimes.co.za/minor/?tag=gugu-mtshali
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ [2][dead link]
[edit] External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Presidents of South Africa |
|
|
