Heads of State of South Africa
Union of South Africa
Governor-General of South Africa
Herbert John Gladstone, 1st Viscount Gladstone
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 7 1854; d. March 6 1930.
1910 – 1914
Prince Arthur of Connaught
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 13 1883; d. September 12 1938
1920 – 1924
Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 14 1874; d. January 16 1957
1924 – 1930
State President of the Republic of South Africa
Frederik Willem de Klerk
Date of birth/date of death: b. March 18 1936; d. November 11 2021.
National Party
1989 – 1994
Republic of South Africa
Heads of State of the Republic of South Africa
The anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was the first president to be elected following the end of white minority rule. During the first two years of Mandela’s presidency, he served as head of a Government of National Unity under the interim 1993 constitution, which required parties receiving significant electoral support to share executive power. The last apartheid-era president F.W. de Klerk served as one of the deputy presidents during this period. South Africa adopted a permanent constitution in 1996, which remains in force to this day.
Under the 1996 Constitution, South Africa has a distinctive political system. It combines elements of both presidential and parliamentary systems, with the president acting as both head of state and head of government. The president is elected by the popularly-elected members of the National Assembly after each general election to a five-year term, with a two-term limit. The president and cabinet remain politically responsible to the National Assembly, which can remove the president through a vote of no confidence.
Since the end of apartheid, every president has been a member of the African National Congress (ANC), which has maintained a parliamentary majority throughout the democratic era. As a result, internal leadership contests within the party have often played a decisive role in determining who becomes president. Several presidential transitions have also occurred mid-term, including the resignations of Thabo Mbeki in 2008 and Jacob Zuma in 2018, after which the National Assembly elected new presidents to complete the remainder of their terms.
President of South Africa
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 18 1918; d. December 5 2013.
African National Congress
1994 – 1999
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 18 1942.
African National Congress
1999 – 2008
Kgalema Petrus Motlanthe
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 19 1949.
African National Congress
2008 – 2009
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 12 1942.
African National Congress
2009 – 2018
Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 17 1952.
African National Congress
2018 – present
Deputy Heads of State of the Republic of South Africa
The office of Deputy President of South Africa was established in its modern form with the transition to majority rule in 1994. Under the interim 1993 constitution, the country was governed by a Government of National Unity, which provided for multiple deputy presidents drawn from the leading political parties. Nelson Mandela served alongside two deputy presidents: Thabo Mbeki of the African National Congress and F. W. de Klerk of the National Party, reflecting the power-sharing arrangements of the transition from apartheid.
The adoption of the 1996 Constitution redefined the office within a more conventional executive structure, providing for a single deputy president appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly. The deputy president serves as the principal assistant to the president, helping to coordinate the work of government and exercising powers delegated by the president. The office also plays a key constitutional role in ensuring continuity of government, with the deputy president acting as president when the office is vacant or the incumbent is unable to perform their duties.
Deputy President of South Africa
Frederik Willem de Klerk
Date of birth/date of death: b. March 18 1936; d. November 11 2021.
National Party
1994 – 1996
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 18 1942.
African National Congress
1994 – 1999
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 12 1942.
African National Congress
1999 – 2005
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 3 1955.
African National Congress
2005 – 2008
Baleka Mbete
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 24 1949.
African National Congress
2008 – 2009
Kgalema Petrus Motlanthe
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 19 1949.
African National Congress
2009 – 2014
Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 17 1952.
African National Congress
2014 – 2018
David Dabede Mabuza
Date of birth/date of death: b. August 25 1960; d. July 3 2025.
African National Congress
2018 – 2023
Paulus Shipokosa “Paul” Mashatile
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 21 1961.
African National Congress
2023 – present
Leaders of the Opposition in the Republic of South Africa
The Leader of the Opposition is the leader of the largest party in the National Assembly that is not a part of the government. South Africa is unusual in having a blended presidential-parliamentary system of government. The Leader of the Opposition in South Africa thus serves as something of a “president in waiting” for the largest opposition party while also, if a member of the National Assembly, playing a similar role as opposition leaders in other parliamentary democracies from within the legislature. The Leader of the Opposition is a formally defined role under the 1996 Constitution.
During the period of the national unity government immediately following the end of apartheid (1994 – 1996), there was no formal opposition leader; Constand Viljoen of the Freedom Front Plus party de facto occupied the role as the leader of the largest party that was not a part of the national unity government. Subsequently, the largest opposition party has typically been the Democratic Alliance or its predecessor parties.
Leader of the Opposition
Constand Laubscher Viljoen (*de facto)
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 28 1933; d. April 3 2020.
Freedom Front Plus
1994 – 1996
Frederik Willem de Klerk
Date of birth/date of death: b. March 18 1936; d. November 11 2021.
National Party
1996 – 1997
Marthinus Christoffel Johannes van Schalkwyk
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 10 1959.
New National Party
1997 – 1999
Anthony James “Tony” Leon
Date of birth/date of death: b. December 15 1956.
Democratic Party (1999 – 2000); Democratic Alliance (2000 – 2007)
1999 – 2007
Celia-Sandra Botha
Date of birth/date of death: b. February 25 1945.
Democratic Alliance
2007 – 2009
Roland Athol Price Trollip
Date of birth/date of death: b. March 12 1964.
Democratic Alliance
2009 – 2011
Lindiwe Desire Mazibuko
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 9 1980.
Democratic Alliance
2011 – 2014
Mmusi Aloysias Maimane
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 6 1980.
Democratic Alliance
2014 – 2019
Annelie Lotriet (*acting)
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 8 1960.
Democratic Alliance
2019
John Henry Steenhuisen
Date of birth/date of death: b. March 25 1976.
Democratic Alliance
2019 – 2024
Mandlakiyse John Hlophe
Date of birth/date of death: b. May 19 1959.
uMkhonto weSizwe
2024 – present
Heads of Government of South Africa
Union of South Africa
Prime Minister of South Africa
Jan Christian Smuts
Date of birth/date of death: b. May 24 1870; d. September 11 1950
South African Party
1919 – 1924
James Berry Munnik Hertzog
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 3 1866; d. November 21 1942
National Party (1924 – 1934); United Party (1934 – 1939)
1924 – 1939
Field Marshal Jan Christian Smuts
Date of birth/date of death: b. May 24 1870; d. September 11 1950
United Party
1939 – 1948
Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 8 1901; d. September 6 1966.
National Party
1958 – 1961
Republic of South Africa
Prime Minister of South Africa
Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 8 1901; d. September 6 1966.
National Party
1961 – 1966
The Cape Colony
Prime Minister of the Cape Colony
Cecil John Rhodes
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 5 1853; d. March 26 1902
Non-Partisan
1890 – 1896
Sir Leander Starr Jameson
Date of birth/date of death: b. February 9 1853; d. November 26 1917
Progressive Party
1904 – 1908