# List of South African presidents by age

This is a list of presidents of South Africa by age, including state presidents (1961 to 1994) and presidents (since 1994).
This table lists presidents by age at assuming office from youngest to oldest
| Name | Date of birth | Date of death | Date and age at inauguration |
| F. W. de Klerk | 18 March 1936 | 11 November 2021 | 15 August 1989(1989-08-15) (aged 53) |
| Thabo Mbeki | 18 June 1942 | alive | 16 June 1999(1999-06-16) (aged 56) |
| Kgalema Motlanthe | 19 July 1949 | alive | 25 September 2008(2008-09-25) (aged 59) |
| B. J. Vorster | 13 December 1915 | 10 September 1983 | 10 October 1978(1978-10-10) (aged 62) |
| Marais Viljoen | 2 December 1915 | 4 January 2007 | 4 June 1979(1979-06-04) (aged 63) |
| Cyril Ramaphosa | 17 November 1952 | alive | 14 February 2018(2018-02-14) (aged 65) |
| Charles Robberts Swart | 5 December 1894 | 16 July 1982 | 31 May 1961(1961-05-31) (aged 66) |
| Jacob Zuma | 12 April 1942 | alive | 9 May 2009(2009-05-09) (aged 67) |
| P. W. Botha | 12 January 1916 | 31 October 2006 | 3 September 1984(1984-09-03) (aged 68) |
| Jacobus Johannes Fouché | 6 June 1898 | 23 September 1980 | 10 April 1968(1968-04-10) (aged 69) |
| Nico Diederichs | 17 November 1903 | 21 August 1978 | 19 April 1975(1975-04-19) (aged 71) |
| Nelson Mandela | 18 July 1918 | 5 December 2013 | 10 May 1994(1994-05-10) (aged 75) |

## List of presidents by longevity

| Rank | Heads of state | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Longevity (Years, Days) | Longevity (Days) |
| 1 | Nelson Mandela | 18 July 1918 | 5 December 2013 | 95 years, 140 days | 34,839 days |
| 2 | Marais Viljoen | 2 December 1915 | 4 January 2007 | 91 years, 33 days | 33,271 days |
| 3 | P. W. Botha | 12 January 1916 | 31 October 2006 | 90 years, 292 days | 33,165 days |
| 4 | Charles Robberts Swart | 5 December 1894 | 16 July 1982 | 87 years, 223 days | 31,999 days |
| 5 | Frederik de Klerk | 18 March 1936 | 11 November 2021 | 85 years, 238 days | 31,284 days |
| 6 | Jacob Zuma | 12 April 1942 | Living | 82 years, 332 days | 30,283 days |
| 7 | Thabo Mbeki | 18 June 1942 | Living | 82 years, 265 days | 30,216 days |
| 8 | Jacobus Johannes Fouché | 6 June 1898 | 23 September 1980 | 82 years, 109 days | 30,059 days |
| 9 | Kgalema Motlanthe | 19 July 1949 | Living | 75 years, 234 days | 27,628 days |
| 10 | Nico Diederichs | 17 November 1903 | 21 August 1978 | 74 years, 277 days | 27,306 days |
| 11 | Cyril Ramaphosa | 17 November 1952 | Living | 72 years, 113 days | 26,411 days |
| 12 | B. J. Vorster | 13 December 1915 | 10 September 1983 | 67 years, 271 days | 24,743 days |
| List of heads of state of South Africa | 12 |
| Living | 4 |
| Deceased | 8 |

## South African heads of state's ages

| # | Head of state | Date of birth | Date of inauguration | Age at inauguration | End of term | Age at End of term | Length of retirement | Date of death | Lifespan |
| 1 | Charles Robberts Swart | 5 December 1894 | 31 May 1961 (1961-5-31) | 66 years, 177 days | 1 June 1967 (1967-6-1) | 72 years, 178 days | 15 years, 45 days | 16 July 1982 | 31,999 days (87 years, 223 days) |
| 2 | Jacobus Johannes Fouché | 6 June 1898 | 10 April 1968 (1968-4-10) | 69 years, 309 days | 9 April 1975 (1975-4-9) | 76 years, 307 days | 5 years, 167 days | 23 September 1980 | 30,059 days (82 years, 109 days) |
| 3 | Nico Diederichs | 17 November 1903 | 19 April 1975 (1975-4-19) | 71 years, 153 days | 21 August 1978 (1978-8-21) | 74 years, 277 days | N/A | 21 August 1978 | 27,306 days (74 years, 277 days) |
| 4 | B. J. Vorster | 13 December 1915 | 10 October 1978 (1978-10-10) | 62 years, 301 days | 4 June 1979 (1979-6-4) | 63 years, 173 days | 4 years, 98 days | 10 September 1983 | 24,743 days (67 years, 271 days) |
| 5 | Marais Viljoen | 2 December 1915 | 4 June 1979 (1979-6-4) | 63 years, 184 days | 3 September 1984 (1984-9-3) | 68 years, 276 days | 22 years, 123 days | 4 January 2007 | 33,271 days (91 years, 33 days) |
| 6 | P. W. Botha | 12 January 1916 | 3 September 1984 (1984-9-3) | 68 years, 235 days | 15 August 1989 (1989-8-15) | 73 years, 215 days | 17 years, 77 days | 31 October 2006 | 33,165 days (90 years, 292 days) |
| 7 | Frederik de Klerk | 18 March 1936 | 15 August 1989 (1989-8-15) | 53 years, 150 days | 10 May 1994 (1994-5-10) | 58 years, 53 days | 27 years, 185 days | 11 November 2021 | 31,284 days (85 years, 238 days) |
| 8 | Nelson Mandela | 18 July 1918 | 10 May 1994 (1994-5-10) | 75 years, 305 days | 16 June 1999 (1999-6-16) | 80 years, 333 days | 14 years, 172 days | 5 December 2013 | 34,839 days (95 years, 140 days) |
| 9 | Thabo Mbeki | 18 June 1942 | 16 June 1999 (1999-6-16) | 56 years, 363 days | 24 September 2008 (2008-9-24) | 66 years, 98 days | 16 years, 167 days | (living) | 30,216 days (82 years, 265 days) |
| 10 | Kgalema Motlanthe | 19 July 1949 | 25 September 2008 (2008-9-25) | 59 years, 68 days | 9 May 2009 (2009-5-9) | 59 years, 294 days | 15 years, 305 days | (living) | 27,628 days (75 years, 234 days) |
| 11 | Jacob Zuma | 12 April 1942 | 9 May 2009 (2009-5-9) | 67 years, 27 days | 14 February 2018 (2018-2-14) | 75 years, 308 days | 7 years, 24 days | (living) | 30,283 days (82 years, 332 days) |
| 12 | Cyril Ramaphosa | 17 November 1952 | 14 February 2018 (2018-2-14) | 65 years, 89 days | (incumbent) | (incumbent) | (incumbent) | (living) | 26,411 days (72 years, 113 days) |
| # | Head of state | Date of birth | Date of inauguration | Age at inauguration | End of term | Age at End of term | Length of retirement | Date of death | Lifespan |