This is the list of presidents of South Africa from 1961 till date:
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| President | Term | Political Party |
|---|---|---|
| Charles Robberts Swart | 1961-1967 | National Party |
| Theophilus Ebenhaezer Dönges | 1967 | National Party |
| Jozua François Naudé | 1967-1968 | National Party |
| Jacobus Johannes Fouché | 1968-1975 | National Party |
| Johannes de Klerk | 1975 | National Party |
| Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs | 1975-1978 | National Party |
| Marais Viljoen | 1978-1979 | National Party |
| Balthazar Johannes Vorster | 1979 | National Party |
| Marais Viljoen | 1979 | National Party |
| Pieter Willem Botha | 1984-1989 | National Party |
| F. W. de Klerk | 1989-1994 | National Party |
| Nelson Mandela | 1994-1999 | African National Congress (ANC) |
| Thabo Mbeki | 1999-2008 | African National Congress (ANC) |
| Kgalema Motlanthe | 2008-2009 | African National Congress (ANC) |
| Jacob Zuma | 2009-2018 | African National Congress (ANC) |
| Cyril Ramaphosa | 2018-Present | African National Congress (ANC) |
Who Was The First President Of South Africa During Apartheid?
The first president of South Africa during apartheid was Charles Robberts Swart, and he was also the first white president of South Africa. He served from 1961 to 1967.
Before 1961, South Africa was a constitutional monarchy, which means it had a king or queen from Britain as the head of state. The British monarch was represented in South Africa by someone called the Governor-General.
In 1961, South Africa changed its system and became a republic. They no longer had a British king or queen as the head of state. Instead, they created the office of the State President.
Charles Robberts Swart was the first person to become the State President of South Africa. In this role, he was the ceremonial head of state, symbolically representing the country. The actual leader of the government was the Prime Minister. After Swart, there were several other State Presidents.
These included Theophilus Ebenhaezer Dönges in 1967, Jozua François Naudé from 1967 to 1968, Jacobus Johannes Fouché from 1968 to 1975, Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs from 1975 to 1978, Marais Viljoen from 1978 to 1979, Balthazar Johannes Vorster from 1978 to 1979, Pieter Willem Botha from 1984 to 1989, and F.W. de Klerk from 1989 to 1994.
F.W. de Klerk was the last State President of South Africa. He played a part in ending apartheid and changed the country to a democracy. In 1994, South Africa held its first democratic elections. Nelson Mandela won these elections and became the first president of the post-apartheid Republic of South Africa.
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Who Became The First Black President Of South Africa?
The first black president of South Africa was Nelson Mandela. He became president on May 10, 1994. This happened after South Africa held its first democratic elections.
These elections allowed all people to vote, no matter their race, which was a big change for the country because it ended apartheid. Apartheid was a system that kept black people separate and treated them unfairly.
Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, in a small village called Mvezo. He got involved in politics while he was studying law at university.
In 1943, he joined the African National Congress (ANC) and became a leader. He wanted equality for all South Africans.
Because of his fight against apartheid, he was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to life in prison. Mandela spent 27 years in prison, mostly on Robben Island.
During this time, he became a symbol of the fight against oppression. After he was released from prison in 1990, Mandela worked hard to end apartheid.
His efforts led to the 1994 elections, where the ANC won most of the votes. At his inauguration, Mandela talked about unity and reconciliation for all South Africans.
He said, “Never, never again will this beautiful land experience the oppression of one by another.” Mandela was president until 1999. During his time in office, he focused on rebuilding the nation and bringing peace to its people.
He is remembered as a leader and a global icon for peace and justice. People often call him the “father of the nation” because of his role in changing South Africa for the better.
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Who Is The Current President Of South Africa?
The current president of South Africa is Cyril Ramaphosa. He has been in office since February 15, 2018, after the previous president, Jacob Zuma, resigned.
Ramaphosa was chosen without any opposition by the National Assembly and took his oath of office soon after. He is a member of the African National Congress (ANC), which is the main party in South Africa.
Cyril Ramaphosa was born on November 17, 1952. He was a successful businessman and was popular for his work in the anti-apartheid movement even before he became president.
Cyril was a leading trade union leader and was part of the people in the talks that ended apartheid in South Africa. His background in labor rights and business has influenced how he governs the country.
In the recent elections held in May 2024, Ramaphosa was re-elected for a second term. However, his party, the ANC, did not win an outright majority. This led to the creation of a coalition government, which was a historic change in South African politics.
Ramaphosa said he is committed to working with different parties to solve the major problems the country faces, such as crime and power shortages.