South Africa: Heads of State: 1961-1994 The Constitutions of 1961 and 1983 (effective 1961-1994) refer to the office exclusively as State President (in English) and Staatspresident (in Afrikaans). State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 31 May 1961 - 31 May 1967 Charles Swart (x) Acting State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Waarnemende Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 1 Jun 1967 - 10 Apr 1968 Jozua François Naudé [1] State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 10 Apr 1968 - 9 Apr 1975 Jim Fouché Acting State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Waarnemende Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 10 Apr 1975 - 19 Apr 1975 Johannes de Klerk State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 19 Apr 1975 - 21 Aug 1978 Nicolaas Diederichs Acting State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Waarnemende Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 21 Aug 1978 - 10 Oct 1978 Marais Viljoen [2] State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 10 Oct 1978 - 4 Jun 1979 Balthazar Johannes Vorster Acting State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Waarnemende Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 4 Jun 1979 - 19 Jun 1979 Marais Viljoen (x) State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 19 Jun 1979 - 3 Sep 1984 Marais Viljoen (x) Acting State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Waarnemende Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 3 Sep 1984 - 14 Sep 1984 Pieter Willem Botha State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 14 Sep 1984 - 15 Aug 1989 Pieter Willem Botha (x) Acting State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Waarnemende Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 15 Aug 1989 - 20 Sep 1989 Frederik Willem de Klerk State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 20 Sep 1989 - 10 May 1994 Frederik Willem de Klerk (x) [3] [1] Instead of Theophilus Ebenhaezer Dönges who was elected State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika on 28 Feb 1967, but did not take office. [2] Continues in the office of Acting State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Waarnemende Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika from 14 Aug 1978. [3] From 27 Apr 1994 pending the election and installation of a President under Art. 235 of the Interim Constitution (Act 200 of 1993), effective from that date. Last updated on: 23 Dec 2017 21:00:00