President of South Africa

The President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under the Constitution of South Africa. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President.

President of the Republic of South Africa 10 other official names Umongameli waseNingizimu Afrika  (Zulu) uMongameli waseMzantsi Afrika  (Xhosa) President van Suid-Afrika  (Afrikaans) Mopresidente wa Afrika Borwa  (Northern Sotho) Moporesitente wa Aforika Borwa  (Tswana) Mopresident wa Afrika Borwa  (Sotho) Puresidente wa Afrika-Dzonga  (Tsonga) uMengameli weleNingizimu Afrika  (Swazi) Muphuresidennde wa Afrika Tshipembe  (Venda) uMongameli weSewula Afrika  (Southern Ndebele)
Incumbent Cyril Ramaphosa since 15 February 2018
Government of South Africa
Style	Mr. President (informal) His Excellency (formal, diplomatic)
Type	Head of state Head of government Commander-in-chief
Member of	Cabinet
Residence	Mahlamba Ndlopfu (Pretoria) Genadendal (Cape Town) Dr. John L. Dube House (Durban)
Seat	Union Buildings
Appointer	National Assembly of South Africa
Term length	Five years, renewable once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of South Africa
Precursor	State President
Formation	10 May 1994 (1994-05-10)
First holder	Nelson Mandela
Deputy	Deputy President
Salary	R 3,900,000 annually (2019)
Website	www.thepresidency.gov.za

The role as President of South Africa was originally founded to be different from being prime minister. The two roles were merged in the 1983 constitution which calls for a four-year term of office. The 1993 and later constitutions limit the president's time in office to two five-year terms. The first President to be elected under the new constitution was Nelson Mandela. The current president is Cyril Ramaphosa.

List of presidents of South Africa (1994 – present)

Parties

  African National Congress

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Parliament	Political party	Government	Refs
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Nelson Mandela (1918–2013)	1994	10 May 1994	14 June 1999	5 years, 35 days	22nd	ANC	Mandela (Reshuffle 1 · 2 · 3) ANC—NP—IFP
				The first post-apartheid president of South Africa. The first black chief executive of South Africa, and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid through tackling institutionalised racism, poverty and inequality, and fostering racial reconciliation. Politically an African nationalist and democratic socialist, he served as President of the African National Congress (ANC) party from 1991 to 1997.
2		Thabo Mbeki (born 1942)	1999 2004	14 June 1999	21 May 2004	9 years, 102 days	23rd	ANC	Mbeki I ANC—IFP
				21 May 2004	24 September 2008		24th		Mbeki II (Reshuffle 1 · 2)
				The second post-apartheid president of South Africa. On 20 September 2008, with about nine months left in his second term, Mbeki announced his resignation after being recalled by the National Executive Committee of the ANC, following a conclusion by judge C. R. Nicholson of improper interference in the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), including the prosecution of Jacob Zuma for corruption. On 12 January 2009, the Supreme Court of Appeal unanimously overturned judge Nicholson's judgment but the resignation stood.
3		Kgalema Motlanthe (born 1949)	2008	25 September 2008	9 May 2009	228 days	24th	ANC	Motlanthe
				The third post-apartheid president of South Africa. He was elected following the resignation of Thabo Mbeki and briefly served before being succeeded by Jacob Zuma, who later appointed Motlanthe deputy president.
4		Jacob Zuma (born 1942)	2009 2014	9 May 2009	24 May 2014	8 years, 281 days	25th	ANC	Zuma I (Reshuffle 1 · 2 · 3)
				24 May 2014	14 February 2018		26th		Zuma II (Reshuffle 1 · 2 · 3)
				The fourth post-apartheid president of South Africa. Presided over the centennial celebration of the ANC in 2015 as well as the death of Nelson Mandela in 2013. With less than a year before his term was to expire, Zuma resigned on 14 February 2018 following the demands of the ANC that Zuma should resign, or risk facing a successful vote of no confidence by the National Assembly.
5		Cyril Ramaphosa (born 1952)	2018 2019 2024	15 February 2018	22 May 2019	6 years, 275 days	26th	ANC	Ramaphosa I
				22 May 2019	14 June 2024		27th		Ramaphosa II
				14 June 2024	Incumbent		28th		Ramaphosa III ANC—DA—IFP—PA
				The fifth post-apartheid president of South Africa, elected following the resignation of Jacob Zuma.

Other websites

Media related to Presidents of South Africa at Wikimedia Commons

• Office of the Presidency Archived 2014-03-01 at the Wayback Machine