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{{Short description|South Africa’s head of state and head of government}}{{About|the position of South African head of state and head of government from 1994|the position of South African head of state from 1961 to 1994|State President of South Africa}}{{Pp-pc1}}{{Use South African English|date=August 2014}}{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}

factoids
post	President| body = theRepublic of South Africa| native_name = {hide}collapsible list

| {{native name|zu|{{small|Umongameli waseNingizimu Afrika{edih}|fontsize=68%}}
| {{native name|xh|{{small|uMongameli waseMzantsi Afrika}}|fontsize=68%}}
| {{native name|af|{{small|President van Suid-Afrika}}|fontsize=68%}}
| {{native name|nso|{{small|Mopresidente wa Afrika Borwa}}|fontsize=68%}}
| {{native name|tn|{{small|Moporesitente wa Aforika Borwa}}|fontsize=68%}}
| {{native name|st|{{small|Mopresident wa Afrika Borwa}}|fontsize=68%}}
| {{native name|ts|{{small|Puresidente wa Afrika-Dzonga}}|fontsize=68%}}
| {{native name|ss|{{small|uMengameli weleNingizimu Afrika}}|fontsize=68%}}
| {{native name|ve|{{small|Muphuresidennde wa Afrika Tshipembe}}|fontsize=68%}}
| {{native name|nr|{{small|uMongameli weSewula Afrika}}|fontsize=68%}}
}}| insignia = Seal of the President of South Africa.svg| insigniasize = 100| insigniacaption = Presidential seal| insigniaalt = | image = Prime Minister Sunak met with President Ramaphosa of South Africa in Number 10 - 2022 (cropped).jpg| imagesize = 150px| alt = | imagecaption = | incumbent = Cyril Ramaphosa| acting = | incumbentsince = 15 February 2018! Took office! Left office! Time in office bgcolor=#EEEEEE! rowspan=“2” style="background:{{party color|African National Congress}}; color:white;” | 1 bgcolor=#EEEEEE! rowspan=“3” style="background:{{party color|African National Congress}}; color:white;” | 2 bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE! rowspan=“2” style="background:{{party color|African National Congress}}; color:white;” | 3 bgcolor=#EEEEEE! rowspan=“3” style="background:{{party color|African National Congress}}; color:white;” | 4 bgcolor=#EEEEEE bgcolor=#EEEEEE! rowspan=“3” style="background:{{party color|African National Congress}}; color:white;” | 5 bgcolor=#EEEEEE

Mr. President (title)>Mr. President{{small

Excellency>His Excellency{{small|(formal, diplomatic)}}

Head of state Head of government Commander-in-chief {edih}| department = Government of South Africa| status = | abbreviation =

Cabinet of South Africa>Cabinet| reports_to =

Mahlamba Ndlopfu{{small>(Pretoria)}}Genadendal Residence

{{small>(Cape Town)}}King’s House (Durban)

{{small>(Durban)}}| seat = Union Buildings| nominator = | appointer = National Assembly of South Africa| appointer_qualified = | termlength = Five years, renewable once| termlength_qualified = | constituting_instrument = Constitution of South Africa

State President of South Africa>State President

Nelson Mandela| last = | abolished = | succession = | unofficial_names =

Deputy President of South Africa>Deputy President

South African rand>R 3,900,000 annually (2019)RAMAPHOSA’S SALARY VS OTHER WORLD LEADERS>URL=HTTPS://BUSINESSTECH.CO.ZA/NEWS/FINANCE/305460/RAMAPHOSAS-SALARY-VS-OTHER-WORLD-LEADERS/

WEBSITE=BUSINESSTECH.CO.ZA, 22 March 2021,

www.thepresidency.gov.za/}}}} factoids {{Politics of South Africa}}The president of South Africa is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of South Africa. The president directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander-in-chief of the South African National Defence Force. Between 1961 and 1994, the office of head of state was the state presidency.The president is elected by 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 multiracial election was held on 27 April 1994. The Constitution limits the president’s time in office to two five-year terms.WEB,www.gov.za/documents/constitution-republic-south-africa-1996-chapter-5-president-and-national-executive, Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 - Chapter 5: The President and National Executive, 88. Term of office of President, The first president to be elected under the new constitution was Nelson Mandela. The incumbent is Cyril Ramaphosa, who was elected by the National Assembly on 15 February 2018 following the resignation of Jacob Zuma.Under the interim constitution (valid from 1994–96), there was a Government of National Unity, in which a member of Parliament (MP) from the largest opposition party was entitled to a position as deputy president. Along with Thabo Mbeki, the last apartheid 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 since.The president is required to be a member of the National Assembly at the time of the election. Upon election, the president immediately resigns their seat for the duration of the presidential term. The president may be removed either by a motion of no-confidence or an impeachment trial. Origins A number of manifestations of the office of president have existed. Aspects of these offices exist within the presidency today. The executive leadership of the British colonies of Natal and the Cape of Good Hope were vested in their governors. Likewise, it was invested in the presidents of the Boer republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Alternating sovereignty as a result of wars culminated in the Treaty of Vereeniging which concluded the South African War.The Union of South Africa, a British Dominion, was established on 31 May 1910WEB,sahistory.co.za/topic/1900s/1910s, General History of South Africa Timeline: 1910s, {{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} with the British monarch as titular head of state, represented by a viceroy, the governor-general.Following the 1960 referendum and subsequent declaration of the Republic of South Africa on 31 May 1961, the office of State President was created.WEB,sahistory.co.za/topic/general-south-african-history-timeline-1960s, General History of South Africa Timeline: 1960s, 29 November 2014, 6 December 2014,sahistory.co.za/topic/general-south-african-history-timeline-1960s," title="web.archive.org/web/20141206040602sahistory.co.za/topic/general-south-african-history-timeline-1960s,">web.archive.org/web/20141206040602sahistory.co.za/topic/general-south-african-history-timeline-1960s, dead, It was originally a ceremonial post, but became an executive post in 1984 when a new constitution abolished the post of Prime Minister and transferred its powers to the state president. The country ended minority rule in 1994. The office of the president, and the roles that come with it, were established by chapter five of the Constitution of South Africa. Electoral system South Africa has a distinctive system for the election of its president. Unlike other former British colonies and dominions who have adopted a parliamentary republican form of government and those that follow the Westminster system, South Africa’s president is both head of state and head of government and commander-in-chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Contrary to presidential systems around the world, the president of South Africa is elected by the Parliament of South AfricaWEB,www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/voting-completed-elect-new-president, Voting Completed to Elect New President, dead,www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/voting-completed-elect-new-president," title="web.archive.org/web/20131203011910www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/voting-completed-elect-new-president,">web.archive.org/web/20131203011910www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/voting-completed-elect-new-president, 3 December 2013, dmy-all, rather than by the people directly. They are thus answerable to it in theory and able to influence legislation in practice as head of the majority party.The president is elected at the first sitting of Parliament after an election, and whenever a vacancy arises. The president is elected by the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, from among its members. The chief justice must oversee the election. Once elected, a person is no longer a member of the National Assembly. They must then be sworn in as president within five days of the election. Should a vacancy arise, the date of a new election must be set by the chief justice, but not more than 30 days after the vacancy occurs.WEB,www.nelsonmandela.org/omalley/index.php/site/q/03lv02167/04lv02184/05lv02193/06lv02200.htm, Chapter 5 - The President and National Executive, The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, 30 January 2016, The Constitution has thus prescribed a system combining both parliamentary and presidential systems in a unique manner. Only Botswana and a few other countries use a similar system. Between 1996 and 2003 Israel combined the two systems in an opposite way, with direct elections for the post of prime minister.WEB,kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/printplace/8/, Botswana, 29 April 2014,kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/printplace/8/," title="web.archive.org/web/20140429184550kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/printplace/8/,">web.archive.org/web/20140429184550kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/printplace/8/, 29 April 2014, dead, Although the presidency is the key institution, it is hedged about with numerous checks and balances that prevent its total dominance over the government, as was the case in many African countries. The presidential term is five years, with a limit of two terms. Thus the electoral system attempts (at least on paper) to prevent the accumulation of power in the president as occurred during Apartheid and as is the case currently in many other African countries.WEB,www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/govern/elections.html, Elections in South Africa, 30 November 2013,www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/govern/elections.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20150924002757www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/govern/elections.html,">web.archive.org/web/20150924002757www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/govern/elections.html, 24 September 2015, dead, Succession According to chapter five of the constitution, the president can only exercise the powers of the presidential office while within the Republic of South Africa. The president may appoint an acting president when travelling outside the country or unable to fulfill the duties of the office.A presidential vacancy should be filled first by the deputy president, then a Cabinet minister selected by the president, thereafter a Cabinet minister selected by the Cabinet, and finally by the speaker of the National Assembly.WEB,www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-12-14-succession-planning-for-dummies/, Succession planning for dummies, Daily Maverick, 14 December 2012, 30 January 2016, Presidential powers {{More citations needed section|date=February 2019}}The president is the head of state, head of government and commander-in-chief of the South African National Defence Force. The rights, responsibilities and remuneration of the president are enumerated in Chapter V of the Constitution of South Africa and subsequent amendments and laws passed by the Parliament of South Africa.The executive powers of the republic are vested in the president, who appoints various officials to positions listed in the Constitution, the most significant of which are the Cabinet ministers and justices of the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court. The president’s Cabinet implements and enforces the Constitution and laws and carries out the president’s political objectives. Judges are appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission.The president plays a role in the formation of legislation. The president can sign bills into laws or veto legislation (subject to an override), refer bills back to Parliament or to the Constitutional Court, or call for a referendum. The president summons parliament, and often delivers a State of the Nation Address at the beginning of each session.The president is the commander-in-chief of the South African National Defence Force thereby possessing influence or control over foreign and security policy. The president is accorded the constitutional powers to declare war and make peace, negotiate and sign (although not ratify) treaties (and the alliances that may come with them), and receives and appoints diplomatic officials, confers honours and grants pardons.WEB,www.thepresidency.gov.za/pebble.asp?relid=8, Responsibilities of the President of South Africa, Presidents of South Africa since 1994 Parties {{legend2|{{party color|African National Congress}}|African National Congress|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}{| class=“wikitable” style="font-size:100%;text-align:center“! rowspan=“2” | {{Abbr|No.|Number}}! rowspan=“2” | Portrait! rowspan=“2” width=“200px” |Name{{small|(Birth–Death)}}! rowspan=“2” | Elected! colspan=“3” width=“300px” |Term of office! rowspan=“2” | Parliament! rowspan=“2” | Political party! rowspan=“2” width=“200px” |Government! rowspan=“2” | Refs

(File:Nelson Mandela 1994.jpg|125px)

Nelson Mandela{{small|(1918–2013)}}

1994

10 May}}1994

14 June}}1999

1994

10

6|14}}

22nd South African Parliament>22nd

ANC

Cabinet of Nelson Mandela

{{small>(Cabinet of Nelson Mandela

)African National Congress>ANC—National Party (South Africa)

—Inkatha Freedom Party>IFP}}

{{small

universal suffrage>fully representative democratic election. Presidency of Nelson Mandela

focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid through tackling institutionalised racism, poverty and social inequality>inequality, and fostering racial conflict resolution

. Politically an African nationalism>African nationalist and democratic socialism

, he served as History of the African National Congress>President of the African National Congress (ANC) party from 1991 to 1997.}}

(File:SthAfrica.ThaboMbeki.01 (cropped2).jpg|125px)

Thabo Mbeki{{small|(born 1942)}}

1999 South African general election

2004 South African general election>2004

14 June}}1999

21 May}}2004

{{Age in years and days

6

2008

24}}

23rd South African Parliament>23rd

ANC

First Cabinet of Thabo Mbeki

{{small>African National Congress

—Inkatha Freedom Party>IFP}}

HTTP://WWW.INFO.GOV.ZA/LEADERS/PRESIDENT/INDEX.HTM>TITLE=GCIS: PROFILE INFORMATION: THABO MVUYELWA MBEKI, MR

AUTHOR=THE PRESIDENCY

PUBLISHER=GCIS

ARCHIVE-DATE=16 APRIL 2007, CABINET BIDS FAREWELL TO MBEKI >URL=HTTP://WWW.SABCNEWS.COM/POLITICS/GOVERNMENT/0,2172,177349,00.HTML

DATE=25 SEPTEMBER 2008

QUOTE=HIS RESIGNATION CAME INTO EFFECT AT MIDNIGHT.

ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20080929061212/HTTP://WWW.SABCNEWS.COM/POLITICS/GOVERNMENT/0,2172,177349,00.HTML, 29 September 2008, NEWS, SA’s Mbeki says he will step down,news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/2/hi/africa/7626646.stm, BBC News, 20 September 2008

location=London, HTTP://WWW.NEWS24.COM/NEWS24/SOUTH_AFRICA/NEWS/0,,2-7-1442_2392604,00.HTML>TITLE=FULL ZUMA JUDGMENT

PUBLISHER=NEWS24

ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20081031201836/HTTP://WWW.NEWS24.COM/NEWS24/SOUTH_AFRICA/NEWS/0,,2-7-1442_2392604,00.HTML

DF=DMY-ALL, HTTP://WWW.MG.CO.ZA/ARTICLE/2009-01-12-JUDGE-NICHOLSON-REDCARDED-BY-SCA>TITLE=JUDGE NICHOLSON RED-CARDED BY SCA

PUBLISHER=MAIL&GUARDIAN ONLINE, HTTP://WWW.MG.CO.ZA/UPLOADS/ZUMAJUDGEMENT.PDF>TITLE=NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS V ZUMA (573/08) [2009] ZASCA 1 (12 JAN 2009)

PUBLISHER=SOUTH AFRICAN SUPREME COURT OF APPEAL

ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20090320043142/HTTP://WWW.MG.CO.ZA/UPLOADS/ZUMAJUDGEMENT.PDF

DF=DMY-ALL, HTTP://WWW.IOL.CO.ZA/INDEX.PHP?FROM=RSS_NEWS&SET_ID=1&CLICK_ID=79&ART_ID=VN20090114050954196C745537>TITLE=MBEKI LASHES OUT AT LYING POLITICIANS

PUBLISHER=IOL/THE STAR, {{Dead link|date=July 2021}}

21 May}}2004

24 September}}2008

24th South African Parliament>24th

Second cabinet of Thabo Mbeki

{{small>(Reshuffle 1 · 2)}}

{{small

National Executive Committee (African National Congress)>National Executive Committee of the ANC, following a conclusion by judge C. R. Nicholson of improper interference in the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), including the prosecution of Jacob Zuma for corruption. On 12 January 2009, the Supreme Court of Appeal unanimously overturned judge Nicholson’s judgment but the resignation stood.}}

(File:Kgalema Motlanthe at the 12th AU Summit (cropped).jpg|125px)

Kgalema Motlanthe{{small|(born 1949)}}

2008

25 September}}2008

9 May}}2009

2008

25

5|11}}

24th South African Parliament>24th

ANC

Motlanthe

NEWS , Zuma sworn in as SA’s fourth democratic President ,196.35.74.238/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=82f7f279f6421210VgnVCM10000077d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=home , SABC , 9 May 2009 , 9 May 2009 , dead ,196.35.74.238/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=82f7f279f6421210VgnVCM10000077d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=home" title="web.archive.org/web/20110529145530196.35.74.238/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=82f7f279f6421210VgnVCM10000077d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=home">web.archive.org/web/20110529145530196.35.74.238/portal/site/SABCNews/menuitem.5c4f8fe7ee929f602ea12ea1674daeb9/?vgnextoid=82f7f279f6421210VgnVCM10000077d4ea9bRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&channelPath=home , 29 May 2011 , dmy-all ,

{{small|The third post-apartheid president of South Africa. He was elected following the resignation of Thabo Mbeki and briefly served before being succeeded by Jacob Zuma, who later appointed Motlanthe deputy president.}}

(File:Jacob G. Zuma - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2010.jpg|125px)

Jacob Zuma{{small|(born 1942)}}

2009 South African general election

2014 South African general election>2014

9 May}}2009

24 May}}2014

{{Age in years and days

5

2018

14}}

25th South African Parliament>25th

ANC

First Cabinet of Jacob Zuma

{{small>(Reshuffle 1 · 2 · 3)}}

24 May}}2014

14 February}}2018

26th South African Parliament>26th

Second Cabinet of Jacob Zuma

{{small>(Reshuffle 1 · 2 · 3)}}

{{small|The fourth post-apartheid president of South Africa. Presided over the centennial celebration of the ANC in 2015 as well as the death of Nelson Mandela in 2013. With less than a year before his term was to expire, Zuma resigned on 14 February 2018 following the demands of the ANC that Zuma should resign, or risk facing a successful vote of no confidence by the National Assembly.}}

(File:Prime Minister Sunak met with President Ramaphosa of South Africa in Number 10 - 2022 (cropped).jpg|125px)

Cyril Ramaphosa{{small|(born 1952)}}

2018 South African presidential election

2019 South African general election>2019

15 February}}2018

22 May}}2019

{{Age in years and days

2|15}}

26th South African Parliament>26th

ANC

Ramaphosa I

22 May}}2019| Incumbent

27th South African Parliament>27th

Ramaphosa II

{{small|The fifth post-apartheid president of South Africa, elected following the resignation of Jacob Zuma.}}

Timeline

{{#tag:timeline|ImageSize=width:900 height:auto barincrement:18PlotArea = top:10 bottom:80 right:100 left:20AlignBars = lateDefine $today = {{#time:d/m/Y}}Colors =

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyyPeriod = from:01/01/1994 till:$todayTimeAxis = orientation:horizontalScaleMajor = gridcolor:gray1 unit:year increment:2 start:1994ScaleMinor = gridcolor:gray2 unit:year increment:1 start:1994Legend = columns:1 left:150 top:35 columnwidth:170 TextData = BarData = PlotData =

}}

Latest election

See also

• List of heads of state of South Africa
• State President of South Africa
• Prime Minister of South Africa
• Governor-General of South Africa
• Deputy President of South Africa
• State President of the South African Republic (1857–1902)
• State President of the Orange Free State
• Freedom Day
• List of South African presidents by age

References

{{reflist|30em}}

External links

{{Commons category|Presidents of South Africa}}

• Office of the Presidency

{{SA Government departments}}{{South Africa topics}}{{SAPresidents}}{{List of Current Heads of State of G20}}{{Heads of state and government of African states}}