South Africa: Heads of State: 1961-1994The Constitutions of 1961 and 1983 (effective 1961-1994) refer to the office exclusively as State President (in English) and Staatspresident (in Afrikaans). |
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| State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika | |
| 31 May 1961 - 31 May 1967 | Charles Swart |
| 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 |
| State President of the Republic of South Africa :: Staatspresident van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika | |
| 19 Jun 1979 - 3 Sep 1984 | Marais Viljoen |
| 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 |
| 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 [3] |
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| [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 update: 08 May 2025