South African Republic: Heads of State: 1857-1877

President van den Uitvoerenden Raad der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek \| President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic [1]
6 Jan 1857 - 15 Sep 1860	Marthinus Wessel Pretorius [2][3]
Fungerend President van den Uitvoerenden Raad der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek \| Acting President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic
15 Sep 1860 - 6 Dec 1860	Johannes Hermanus Grobler (Grobbelaar) [4]
6 Dec 1860 - 17 Apr 1862	Stephanus Schoeman [5]
18 Apr 1862 - 23 Oct 1863	Willem Cornelis Janse van Renseburg
President van den Uitvoerenden Raad der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek \| President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic [1]
23 Oct 1863 - 10 May 1864	Willem Cornelis Janse van Renseburg
10 May 1864 - 22 Oct 1866	Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
Staatspresident der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek \| State President of the South African Republic
22 Oct 1866 - 20 Nov 1871	Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
20 Nov 1871 - 21 Nov 1871	office vacant [6]
Waarnemend Staatspresident der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek \| Acting State President of the South African Republic
21 Nov 1871 - 28 Nov 1871	Daniël Jacobus Erasmus van Straten
Fungerend Staatspresident der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek \| Acting State President of the South African Republic [7]
28 Nov 1871 - 1 Jul 1872	Daniël Jacobus Erasmus van Straten
Staatspresident der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek \| State President of the South African Republic
1 Jul 1872 - 12 Apr 1877	Thomas François Burgers

The President of the Executive Council (President van den Uitvoerenden Raad) was the highest state office according to the Constitutions of 1857 and 1858. It was used inconsistently in official documents and is found normally reduced to President or substituted with President van de Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek or Staatspresident (Staats President) in the period between 6 Jan 1857 - 15 Sep 1860 and 23 Oct 1863 - 22 Oct 1866; a Constitutional amendment passed by the Volksraad 22 Oct 1866 officially changed the style to Staatspresident der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek [Notule van die Volksraad, 6:55, Art. 484].
Pretorius was elected State President by the Volksraad on 15 Nov 1855 [Notule van die Volksraad, 3:112, Art. 47], but he never assumed office, continuing instead as Commandant-Generaal of Potchefstroom-Rustenburg. He was later elected President of the Executive Council on 16 Dec 1856 and took the oath of office on 6 Jan 1857 [Notule van die Volksraad, 3:145, Art. 2].
Also in the Orange Free State. On 1 Feb 1860, the Volksraad of the South African Republic (SAR) granted Pretorius a leave of absence and entrusted Grobler with the functions of President of the Executive Council. Shortly thereafter, Pretorius was elected President of the Orange Free State and accepted the position, taking the oath of office on 8 Feb 1860. When the SAR Volksraad was informed of his actions on 9 Apr 1860, he was suspended and prohibited from any involvement in SAR affairs. Acting on his letter of resignation, the Volksraad formally discharged him on 15 Sep 1860.
Grobler served as acting President of the Executive Council from 1 Feb 1860 to 15 Sep 1860, initially during Pretorius's absence and later following his suspension (9 Apr 1860 - 15 Sep 1860).
Continued in dissidence to 19 Jan 1863.
Pretorius's resignation was submitted to the Volksraad, which passed a resolution on 20 Nov 1871 declaring the office of State President vacant. The following day, Erasmus was elected Acting State President and was sworn in on 21 Nov 1871.
The word "Waarnemend" in the style of acting State President is replaced with "Fungerend" in accordance with a resolution of the Volksraad of 28 Nov 1871 (Art. 378).