The first Prime Minister of South Africa, Louis Botha (sitting at the centre of the desk), with his First Cabinet, 1910.
The position of Prime Minister was established in 1910, when the Union of South Africa was formed. He was appointed by the head of state—the governor-general until 1961 and the state president after South Africa became a republic in 1961. In practice, he was the leader of the majority party or coalition in the House of Assembly. With few exceptions, the governor-general/state president was bound by convention to act on the prime minister's advice. Thus, the prime minister was the country's leading political figure and de facto chief executive, with powers similar to those of his British counterpart.
The position of Prime Minister was abolished in 1984, when the State President was given executive powers after a new constitution was adopted – effectively merging the role of Prime Minister and State President. The last Prime Minister of South Africa, P. W. Botha, became the first executive State President after the constitutional reform in 1984 after Marais Viljoen's retirement.
In post-apartheid South Africa, the Inkatha Freedom Party has called for a return to a Westminster-style split executive with a Prime Minister as head of government, which is part of its overarching goal of avoiding a single-party South African state.[1]
World War II. Ratified the UN Charter. Issued the Fagan Report, which stated that complete racial segregation in South Africa was not practical and that restrictions on African migration into urban areas should be abolished. Lost the 1948 general election to National Party.
Tried to cut ties with United Kingdom. Removal of Coloured voters from the common voters roll. Extended 'treason trial' of 156 activists (including Nelson Mandela) involved in the Freedom Charter. Severed diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. Died in office.
Abolished the Coloured voters roll. South African Border War escalated into a full-scale conflict. He managed policy of détente with African countries, and accepted to let black African diplomats living in white areas. He alienated an extremist faction of his National Party when it accepted the presence of Māori players and spectators during the 1970 New Zealand rugby union tour of South Africa. He unofficially supported, but refused to recognize officially, the neighbouring state of Rhodesia, which was ruled by a white minority government that had unilaterally declared independence from United Kingdom. In 1974, under pressure from US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger he pressured Ian Smith, the Prime Minister of Rhodesia, to accept in principle that white minority rule could not continue indefinitely. Resigned.
Remained Minister of Defence until 1980. Improved relations with the West. Authorized radical constitutional reform in 1983, including the creation of the Tricameral Parliament, which give a limited political voice to the country's Coloured and Indian population groups. The majority Black population group was still excluded. Began a secret nuclear weapons program in collaboration with Israel, which culminated in the production of six nuclear bombs. Creation of police counter-insurgency unit, Koevoet. Resignation of Vorster as State-President in the wake of the Muldergate Scandal. Abolished the position of Prime Minister in 1984 and became executive State President.
^IFP: Statement by Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Inkatha Freedom Party Leader, welcomes Constitutional Court judgment on regulation of introduction of bills, 12 October 2012
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October 09, 2023
prime, minister, south, africa, prime, minister, south, africa, afrikaans, eerste, minister, suid, afrika, head, government, south, africa, between, 1910, 1984, eerste, minister, suid, afrikacoat, arms, south, africalast, officepieter, willem, botha9, october,. The prime minister of South Africa Afrikaans Eerste Minister van Suid Afrika was the head of government in South Africa between 1910 and 1984 Prime Minister of South AfricaEerste Minister van Suid AfrikaCoat of Arms of South AfricaLast in officePieter Willem Botha9 October 1978 14 September 1984StyleThe Right Honourable until 1961 AppointerGovernor General of South Africa 1910 1961 State President of South Africa 1961 1984 Term lengthWhilst commanding the confidence of the House of AssemblyFormation31 May 1910First holderLouis BothaFinal holderPieter Willem BothaAbolished14 September 1984SuccessionExecutive State President of South Africa Contents 1 History of the office 2 List of prime ministers of South Africa 3 Timeline 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory of the office Edit nbsp The first Prime Minister of South Africa Louis Botha sitting at the centre of the desk with his First Cabinet 1910 The position of Prime Minister was established in 1910 when the Union of South Africa was formed He was appointed by the head of state the governor general until 1961 and the state president after South Africa became a republic in 1961 In practice he was the leader of the majority party or coalition in the House of Assembly With few exceptions the governor general state president was bound by convention to act on the prime minister s advice Thus the prime minister was the country s leading political figure and de facto chief executive with powers similar to those of his British counterpart The first prime minister was Louis Botha a former Boer general and war hero during the Second Boer War The position of Prime Minister was abolished in 1984 when the State President was given executive powers after a new constitution was adopted effectively merging the role of Prime Minister and State President The last Prime Minister of South Africa P W Botha became the first executive State President after the constitutional reform in 1984 after Marais Viljoen s retirement In post apartheid South Africa the Inkatha Freedom Party has called for a return to a Westminster style split executive with a Prime Minister as head of government which is part of its overarching goal of avoiding a single party South African state 1 List of prime ministers of South Africa EditParties South African Party United Party National Party No Portrait Name Birth Death Constituency Term of office Elected Parliament Political party GovernmentTook office Left office Time in office1 nbsp Louis Botha 1862 1919 MP for Standerton Transvaal Province until 1915 MP for Losberg Transvaal Province from 1915 31 May 1910 27 August 1919 9 years 88 days 1910 1st 1915 2nd South African Party L Botha I IIFirst South African Prime Minister Formation of the Union of South Africa World War I Conquest of the German South West Africa Crushed the Maritz rebellion Ratified the Treaty of Versailles Died in office 2 nbsp Jan Christiaan Smuts 1870 1950 MP for Wonderboom Transvaal Province 3 September 1919 30 June 1924 4 years 301 days 2nd 1920 3rd 1921 4th South African Party Smuts I IIAttended 1921 Imperial Conference Attempted to broker an armistice and peace deal between the British and Irish nationalists in the Irish War of Independence Crushed the Rand Rebellion which caused a political backlash and he lost 1924 general election to National Party Created coalition with National Party and returned as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice after the 1933 general election nbsp James Barry Munnik Hertzog 1866 1942 MP for Smithfield Orange Free State Province 30 June 1924 5 September 1939 15 years 67 days 1924 5th 1929 6th 1933 7th 1938 8th National Party until 1934 United Party from 1934 Hertzog I II III IV3Replaced Dutch as second official language by Afrikaans in 1925 Instated a new national flag in 1928 Approved women s suffrage for white women with the Women s Enfranchisement Act 1930 Adoption of the Statute of Westminster 1931 Removed Black voters from the common voters roll Created coalition with South African Party to form the United Party Resigned after the United Party caucus refused to accept his stance of neutrality in World War II 2 nbsp Jan Christiaan Smuts 1870 1950 MP for Standerton Transvaal Province 5 September 1939 4 June 1948 8 years 273 days 8th 1943 9th United Party Smuts IIIWorld War II Ratified the UN Charter Issued the Fagan Report which stated that complete racial segregation in South Africa was not practical and that restrictions on African migration into urban areas should be abolished Lost the 1948 general election to National Party 4 nbsp Daniel Francois Malan 1874 1959 MP for Piketberg Cape Province 4 June 1948 30 November 1954 6 years 179 days 1948 10th 1953 11th National Party Malan I IICame to power on the program of apartheid and began the comprehensive implementation of the segregationist policy 5 nbsp Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom 1893 1958 MP for Waterberg Transvaal Province 30 November 1954 24 August 1958 3 years 267 days 11th 1958 12th National Party StrydomTried to cut ties with United Kingdom Removal of Coloured voters from the common voters roll Extended treason trial of 156 activists including Nelson Mandela involved in the Freedom Charter Severed diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union Died in office 6 nbsp Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd 1901 1966 MP for Heidelberg Transvaal Province 2 September 1958 6 September 1966 8 years 4 days 12th 1961 13th 1966 14th National Party Verwoerd I IIStart of the South African Border War The Wind of Change speech by British PM Harold Macmillan Proclaimed South Africa a Republic outside the Commonwealth of Nations on 31 May 1961 after the 1960 referendum Abolished the separate Black voters roll Launched the bantustan programme Assassinated 7 nbsp Balthazar Johannes Vorster 1915 1983 MP for Nigel Transvaal Province 13 September 1966 2 October 1978 12 years 19 days 14th 1970 15th 1974 16th 1977 17th National Party Vorster I II IIIAbolished the Coloured voters roll South African Border War escalated into a full scale conflict He managed policy of detente with African countries and accepted to let black African diplomats living in white areas He alienated an extremist faction of his National Party when it accepted the presence of Maori players and spectators during the 1970 New Zealand rugby union tour of South Africa He unofficially supported but refused to recognize officially the neighbouring state of Rhodesia which was ruled by a white minority government that had unilaterally declared independence from United Kingdom In 1974 under pressure from US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger he pressured Ian Smith the Prime Minister of Rhodesia to accept in principle that white minority rule could not continue indefinitely Resigned 8 nbsp Pieter Willem Botha 1916 2006 MP for George Cape Province 9 October 1978 14 September 1984 5 years 341 days 17th 1981 18th 1984 19th National Party P W BothaRemained Minister of Defence until 1980 Improved relations with the West Authorized radical constitutional reform in 1983 including the creation of the Tricameral Parliament which give a limited political voice to the country s Coloured and Indian population groups The majority Black population group was still excluded Began a secret nuclear weapons program in collaboration with Israel which culminated in the production of six nuclear bombs Creation of police counter insurgency unit Koevoet Resignation of Vorster as State President in the wake of the Muldergate Scandal Abolished the position of Prime Minister in 1984 and became executive State President Timeline EditSee also EditState President of South Africa President of South Africa Governor General of South AfricaReferences Edit IFP Statement by Mangosuthu Buthelezi Inkatha Freedom Party Leader welcomes Constitutional Court judgment on regulation of introduction of bills 12 October 2012External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prime ministers of South Africa Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Prime Minister of South Africa amp oldid 1174013826, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
