List of heads of State of South Africa - Wikipedia List of heads of State of South Africa South Africa This article is part of a series on the politics and government of South Africa Constitution Bill of Rights Executive President Jacob Zuma Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa Cabinet Shadow Cabinet Legislative National Council of Provinces Chairperson Thandi Modise National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete Leader of the Opposition Mmusi Maimane Judiciary Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng Deputy Chief Justice Bess Nkabinde ( Acting ) Courts Constitutional Court Supreme Court of Appeal President : Mandisa Maya High Court Magistrate 's courts Electoral Court Elections General 1910 1915 1920 1921 1924 1929 1933 1938 1943 1948 1953 1958 1961 1966 1970 1974 1977 1981 1984 1987 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019 Municipal 2000 2006 2011 2016 Referendums 1960 1983 1992 Political parties Administrative divisions Provinces Districts Metropolitan municipality District municipality Municipalities ( list ) Foreign relations Minister of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic missions Passport Related topics Human rights Taxation Protests Repression Political assassinations Other countries Atlas This is a list of the heads of state of South Africa, from the foundation of the Union of South Africa in 1910 to the present day. From 1910 to 1961 the head of state under the South Africa Act 1909 was the Monarch, who was the same person as the Monarch of the United Kingdom and of the other Dominions / Commonwealth realms. The Monarch was represented in South Africa by a Governor - General. South Africa became a republic under the Constitution of 1961 and the Monarch and Governor - General were replaced by a ceremonial State President. In 1984, under the Tricameral Constitution, the State President gained executive powers, becoming head of both state and government. Since 1994, under the Interim Constitution and the current Constitution, the head of state and government has been called the President. Contents 1 Monarchs ( 1910 -- 1961 ) 1.1 Governor - General 2 Ceremonial State President of South Africa ( 1961 -- 1984 ) 3 Executive State President of South Africa ( 1984 -- 1994 ) 4 President of South Africa ( 1994 -- ) 5 Standards 6 Living former heads of state 7 References Monarchs ( 1910 -- 1961 ) The succession to the throne of South Africa was the same as the succession to the British throne. During the Abdication Crisis the South African parliament passed its own act, `` His Majesty King Edward the Eighth 's Abdication Act, 1937 '', to ratify the abdication of Edward VIII. No Monarch ( Birth -- Death ) Portrait Reign Royal House Prime Minister Reign start Reign end King George V ( 1865 -- 1936 ) 31 May 1910 20 January 1936 Windsor Botha Smuts Hertzog King Edward VIII ( 1894 -- 1972 ) 20 January 1936 11 December 1936 ( abdicated. ) Windsor Hertzog King George VI ( 1895 -- 1952 ) 11 December 1936 6 February 1952 Windsor Hertzog Smuts Malan Queen Elizabeth II ( 1926 -- ) 6 February 1952 31 May 1961 Windsor Malan Strijdom Verwoerd Governor - General The Governor - General was the representative of the monarch in South Africa and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The Governor - General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. After the passage of the Statute of Westminster 1931 and the Status of the Union Act, 1934, the Governor - General was appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of South Africa without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government. Status Denotes Chief Justice acting as Officer Administering the Government No Governor - General ( Birth -- Death ) Portrait Tenure Monarch Prime Minister Took office Left office The Rt. Hon. The Viscount Gladstone ( 1854 -- 1930 ) 31 May 1910 8 September 1914 George V Botha The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Buxton ( 1853 -- 1934 ) 8 September 1914 17 November 1920 George V Botha Smuts HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught ( 1883 -- 1938 ) 17 November 1920 21 January 1924 George V Smuts The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Athlone ( 1874 -- 1957 ) 21 January 1924 26 January 1931 George V Smuts Hertzog 5 The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Clarendon ( 1877 -- 1955 ) 26 January 1931 5 April 1937 George V Edward VIII George VI Hertzog 6 Sir Patrick Duncan ( 1870 -- 1943 ) 5 April 1937 17 July 1943 ( died in office. ) George VI Hertzog Smuts -- Nicolaas Jacobus de Wet ( 1873 -- 1960 ) 17 July 1943 1 January 1946 George VI Smuts 7 Gideon Brand van Zyl ( 1873 -- 1956 ) 1 January 1946 1 January 1951 George VI Smuts Malan 8 Ernest George Jansen ( 1881 -- 1959 ) 1 January 1951 25 November 1959 ( died in office. ) George VI Elizabeth II Malan Strijdom Verwoerd -- Lucas Cornelius Steyn ( 1903 -- 1976 ) 25 November 1959 11 December 1959 Elizabeth II Verwoerd 9 Charles Robberts Swart ( 1894 -- 1982 ) 11 December 1959 30 April 1961 ( resigned. ) Elizabeth II Verwoerd -- Lucas Cornelius Steyn ( 1903 -- 1976 ) 30 April 1961 31 May 1961 Elizabeth II Verwoerd Ceremonial State President of South Africa ( 1961 -- 1984 ) Under the 1961 Constitution, the first constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the State President replaced the Monarch as ceremonial head of state. The State President was elected by Parliament for a seven - year term. In the event of a vacancy the President of the Senate served as Acting State President. Status Denotes President of the Senate acting as State President No State President ( Birth -- Death ) Portrait Tenure Elected Political affiliation ( at time of appointment ) Prime Minister Took office Left office Charles Robberts Swart ( 1894 -- 1982 ) 31 May 1961 1 June 1967 ( resigned. ) -- National Party Verwoerd Vorster -- Eben Dönges ( 1898 -- 1968 ) Elected but did not take office because of illness National Party -- Jozua François Naudé ( 1889 -- 1969 ) 1 June 1967 10 April 1968 -- National Party Vorster Jacobus Johannes Fouché ( 1898 -- 1980 ) 10 April 1968 9 April 1975 -- National Party Vorster -- Johannes de Klerk ( 1903 -- 1979 ) 9 April 1975 19 April 1975 -- National Party Vorster Nico Diederichs ( 1903 -- 1978 ) 19 April 1975 21 August 1978 ( died in office. ) -- National Party Vorster -- Marais Viljoen ( 1915 -- 2007 ) 21 August 1978 10 October 1978 -- National Party Vorster Botha B.J. Vorster ( 1915 -- 1983 ) 10 October 1978 4 June 1979 ( resigned. ) -- National Party Botha 5 Marais Viljoen ( 1915 -- 2007 ) 4 June 1979 19 June 1979 -- National Party Botha 19 June 1979 3 September 1984 Executive State President of South Africa ( 1984 -- 1994 ) Under the 1983 Constitution the State President was head of both state and government. The State President was elected by an electoral college chosen by Parliament and served until the next general election, but was eligible for re-election. In the event of a vacancy the Cabinet would nominate a member to serve as Acting State President. Status Denotes Acting State President No State President ( Birth -- Death ) Portrait Tenure Elected Political affiliation ( at time of appointment ) Took office Left office P.W. Botha ( 1916 -- 2006 ) 3 September 1984 14 September 1984 National Party 14 September 1984 15 August 1989 ( resigned. ) F.W. de Klerk ( 1936 -- ) 15 August 1989 20 September 1989 1989 National Party 20 September 1989 10 May 1994 President of South Africa ( 1994 -- ) Under the Interim Constitution and the current Constitution the President is head of both state and government. The President is elected by the National Assembly and serves a term that expires at the next general election ; a President may serve a maximum of two terms. In the event of a vacancy the Deputy President serves as Acting President. Denotes Acting President No President ( Birth -- Death ) Portrait Tenure Elected Political affiliation ( at time of appointment ) Took office Left office Nelson Mandela ( 1918 -- 2013 ) 10 May 1994 16 June 1999 1994 African National Congress Thabo Mbeki ( 1942 -- ) 16 June 1999 24 September 2008 ( resigned. ) 1999 African National Congress -- Ivy Matsepe - Casaburri ( 1937 -- 2009 ) 24 September 2008 25 September 2008 -- African National Congress Kgalema Motlanthe ( 1949 -- ) 25 September 2008 9 May 2009 2008 African National Congress Jacob Zuma ( 1942 -- ) 9 May 2009 Incumbent 2009 2014 African National Congress Standards Governor - General 's Standard ( 1910 -- 1931 ) Governor - General 's Standard ( 1931 -- 1952 ) Governor - General 's Standard ( 1952 -- 1961 ) State Presidential Standard ( 1961 -- 1984 ) State Presidential Standard ( 1984 -- 1994 ) Living former heads of state There are four living former South African Heads of State : Image Name Term / Reign Office Date of birth Elizabeth II 1952 -- 1961 Queen of South Africa ( 1926 - 04 - 21 ) 21 April 1926 ( age 91 ) F.W. de Klerk 1989 -- 1994 State President of South Africa ( 1936 - 03 - 18 ) 18 March 1936 ( age 81 ) Thabo Mbeki 1999 -- 2008 President of South Africa ( 1942 - 06 - 18 ) 18 June 1942 ( age 75 ) Kgalema Motlanthe 2008 -- 2009 President of South Africa ( 1949 - 07 - 19 ) 19 July 1949 ( age 68 ) References Jump up ^ Chris Heunis was Acting State President from 19 January 1989 -- 15 March 1989 Jump up ^ Matsepe - Casaburri was Minister of Communications not Deputy President Jump up ^ Chikane, Frank ( 2012 - 04 - 28 ). `` Emotional farewell as Mbeki holds last cabinet meeting ''. Daily Nation. Retrieved 2016 - 08 - 26. World Statesmen -- South Africa Rulers.org -- South Africa Heads of State of South Africa Monarch ( 1910 -- 1961 ) George V Edward VIII George VI Elizabeth II State President ( 1961 -- 1994 ) ( under Apartheid ) Swart Dönges Naudé * Fouché J. de Klerk * Diederichs Viljoen * Vorster Viljoen Botha F.W. de Klerk President ( from 1994 ) ( post-Apartheid ) Mandela Mbeki Matsepe - Casaburri * Motlanthe Zuma * Acting President Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_heads_of_state_of_South_Africa&oldid=796493182 '' Categories : Government of South Africa Lists of political office - holders in South Africa Presidents of South Africa Lists of presidents Hidden categories : Use dmy dates from August 2015 Use South African English from August 2015 All Wikipedia articles written in South African English Talk Contents About Wikipedia Русский Edit links This page was last edited on 21 August 2017, at 06 : 27. About Wikipedia

Question: who was the first president of the republic of south africa
Answer: Charles Robberts Swart