Historical country records
South Africa historical timeline
Cape Colony
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Sep 1795 | Cape Colony occupied by British forces | Leaders |
| 5 Mar 1797 | British colony | Leaders |
| 21 Feb 1803 - 18 Jan 1806 | colony of the Batavian Republic (Netherlands) | Leaders |
| 10 Jan 1806 | British colony | Leaders |
| 31 May 1910 | part of the Union of South Africa | Leaders |
| 16 Sep 1795 - 15 Nov 1795 | Sir George Keith Elphinstone + Alured Clarke (b. 1745 - d. 1832) + James Henry Craig (b. 1748 - d. 1812) | Commanders |
| 15 Nov 1795 - 5 May 1797 | James Henry Craig | Commandant |
| 5 May 1797 - 20 Nov 1798 | George Macartney, Earl Macartney | Governors |
| 20 Nov 1798 - 9 Dec 1799 | Francis Dundas (1st time) (acting) | Governors |
| 10 Dec 1799 - 20 Apr 1801 | Sir George Yonge | Governors |
| 21 Apr 1801 - 20 Feb 1803 | Francis Dundas (2nd time) (acting) | Governors |
| 21 Feb 1803 - 25 Sep 1804 | Jacob Abraham Uitenhage de Mist | Governors |
| 1 Mar 1803 - 18 Jan 1806 | Jan Willem Janssens | Governors |
| 10 Jan 1806 - 17 Jan 1807 | Sir David Baird (acting) | Governors |
| 17 Jan 1807 - 21 May 1807 | Henry George Grey (1st time) | Governors |
| 22 May 1807 - 4 Jul 1811 | Du Pré Alexander, Earl of Caledon | Governors |
| 5 Jul 1811 - 5 Sep 1811 | Henry George Grey (2nd time) | Governors |
| 6 Sep 1811 - 6 Apr 1814 | Sir John Francis Cradock | Governors |
| 18 Oct 1813 - 7 Jan 1814 | Robert Meade | Governors |
| 6 Apr 1814 - 5 Mar 1826 | Lord Charles Henry Somerset | Governors |
| 13 Jan 1820 - 30 Nov 1821 | Sir Rufane Shawe Donkin | Governors |
| 5 Mar 1826 - 9 Sep 1828 | Richard Bourke (acting) | Governors |
| 9 Sep 1828 - 10 Aug 1833 | Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole | Governors |
| 10 Aug 1833 - 16 Jan 1834 | Thomas Francis Wade | Governors |
| 10 Jan 1834 - 20 Jan 1838 | Sir Benjamin D'Urban | Governors |
| 22 Jan 1838 - 18 Mar 1844 | Sir George Thomas Napier | Governors |
| 18 Mar 1844 - 27 Jan 1847 | Sir Peregrine Maitland | Governors |
| 27 Jan 1847 - 1 Dec 1847 | Sir Henry Pottinger | Governors |
| 1 Dec 1847 - 31 Mar 1852 | Sir Henry George Wakelyn Smith | Governors |
| 31 Mar 1852 - 26 May 1854 | George Cathcart | Governors |
| 26 May 1854 - 5 Dec 1854 | Charles Henry Darling (acting) | Governors |
| 5 Dec 1854 - 15 Aug 1861 | Sir George Grey | Governors |
| 20 Aug 1859 - 4 Jul 1860 | Robert Henry Wynyard (1st time) | Governors |
| 15 Aug 1861 - 15 Jan 1862 | Robert Henry Wynyard (2nd time) | Governors |
| 15 Jan 1862 - 20 May 1870 | Sir Philip Edmond Wodehouse | Governors |
| 20 May 1870 - 31 Dec 1870 | Charles Craufurd Hay (acting) | Governors |
| 31 Dec 1870 - 31 Mar 1877 | Sir Henry Barkly | Governors |
| 31 Mar 1877 - 15 Sep 1880 | Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere | Governors |
| 15 Sep 1880 - 27 Sep 1880 | Henry Hugh Clifford (acting) | Governors |
| 27 Sep 1880 - 22 Jan 1881 | Sir George Cumine Strahan (acting) | Governors |
| 22 Jan 1881 - 1 May 1889 | Sir Hercules Robinson (1st time) | Governors |
| 30 Apr 1881 - Aug 1881 | Sir Leicester Smyth (1st time) | Governors |
| 25 Apr 1883 - 26 Mar 1884 | Sir Leicester Smyth (2nd time) | Governors |
| 7 Apr 1886 - 7 Jul 1886 | Sir Henry D'Oyley Torrens | Governors |
| 1 May 1889 - 13 Dec 1889 | Henry Augustus Smyth (acting) | Governors |
| 13 Dec 1889 - 30 May 1895 | Sir Henry Brougham Loch | Governors |
| 14 Jan 1891 - 1 Dec 1892 | Sir William Gordon Cameron | Governors |
| May 1894 - Jul 1894 | Sir William Gordon Cameron | Governors |
| 30 May 1895 - 21 Apr 1897 | Sir Hercules Robinson (from 1896, Hercules Robinson, Baron Rosmead) | Governors |
| 21 Apr 1897 - 5 May 1897 | Sir William Howley Goodenough | Governors |
| 5 May 1897 - 6 Mar 1901 | Sir Alfred Milner | Governors |
| 2 Nov 1898 - 14 Feb 1899 | Sir William Francis Butler | Governors |
| 6 Mar 1901 - 31 May 1910 | Sir Walter Francis Hely-Hutchinson | Governors |
| 17 Jun 1909 - 21 Sep 1909 | Sir Henry Jenner Scobell | Governors |
| 1 Dec 1872 - 5 Feb 1878 | John Charles Molteno | Prime ministers |
| 6 Feb 1878 - 8 May 1881 | John Gordon Sprigg (1st time) | Prime ministers |
| 9 May 1881 - 12 May 1884 | Thomas Charles Scanlen | Prime ministers |
| 13 May 1884 - 24 Nov 1886 | Thomas Upington | Prime ministers |
| 25 Nov 1886 - 16 Jul 1890 | Sir John Gordon Sprigg (2nd time) | Prime ministers |
| 17 Jul 1890 - 12 Jan 1896 | Cecil John Rhodes | Prime ministers |
| 13 Jan 1896 - 13 Oct 1898 | Sir John Gordon Sprigg (3rd time) | Prime ministers |
| 14 Oct 1898 - 17 Jun 1900 | William Philip Schreiner | Prime ministers |
| 18 Jun 1900 - 21 Feb 1904 | Sir John Gordon Sprigg (4th time) | Prime ministers |
| 22 Feb 1904 - 2 Feb 1908 | Leander Starr Jameson | Prime ministers |
| 3 Feb 1908 - 31 May 1910 | John X. Merriman | Prime ministers |
Goshen
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 1882 | Het Land Goosen independent | Leaders |
| Mar 1885 | incorporated into Cape Colony (Bechuanaland) | Leaders |
| Dec 1882 - Aug 1884 | Nicolaas Claudius Gey van Pittius | Chairman of the Council of Government |
| Aug 1884 - Mar 1885 | Nicolaas Claudius Gey van Pittius | Administrator |
Stellaland
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Aug 1883 | Republic of Stellaland independent | Leaders |
| 23 Mar 1885 | incorporated into Cape Colony (Bechuanaland) | Leaders |
| 6 Aug 1883 - 23 Mar 1885 | Gerrit Jacobus van Niekerk | Administrator |
British Bechuanaland
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep 1885 | British crown colony | Leaders |
| 16 Nov 1895 | incorporated into Cape Colony | Leaders |
| 1 Sep 1885 - 23 Oct 1885 | Frederick Carrington | Military Commander |
| 23 Oct 1885 - 16 Nov 1895 | Sidney Shippard (from Jun 1887, Sir Sidney Shippard) (b. 1837 - d. 1902) | Administrator |
Natal
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Dec 1836 | Company of Emigrants (Trekker Maatschappij) constituted | Leaders |
| 6 Jun 1837 | Free Province of New Holland in South-East Africa | Leaders |
| 12 Oct 1838 | "Natalia"¹ | Leaders |
| 28 Sep 1843 | British colony (Natal) | Leaders |
| 31 May 1910 | part of the Union of South Africa | Leaders |
| 2 Dec 1836 - 6 Jun 1837 | Gerhardus Marthinus Maritz | President of the Burghers' Council and Chief Commandant |
| 6 Jun 1837 - 6 Feb 1838 | Pieter Maurits Retief | Chief Governor |
| 6 Feb 1838 - 23 Sep 1838 | Gerhardus Marthinus Maritz | Presidents of the Policy Council |
| 23 Sep 1838 - 12 Oct 1838 | Karel Pieter Landman | Presidents of the Policy Council |
| *15Feb 1839 - May 1839 | Johannes Stephanus Maritz | Chairmen of the Raad² |
| *20Oct 1839 - Mar 1840 | Johannes Stephanus Maritz | Chairmen of the Raad² |
| *May 1840* | Johannes Stephanus Maritz | Chairmen of the Raad² |
| *Aug 1840* | Karel Pieter Landman (1st time) | Chairmen of the Raad² |
| *4 Sep 1840* | Laurens Badenhorst | Chairmen of the Raad² |
| *14Jan 1841* | Karel Pieter Landman (2nd time) | Chairmen of the Raad² |
| *7 Apr 1841 - 21 Jan 1842* | Joachim Johannes Petrus Prinsloo | Chairmen of the Raad² |
| *15Jul 1842* | Jacobus Nicolaas Boshof | Chairmen of the Raad² |
| *20Aug 1842 - 31 Oct 1842* | Hermanus Stephanus Lombaard | Chairmen of the Raad² |
| *15May 1843 - 28 Sep 1843 | Johannes Stephanus Maritz | Chairmen of the Raad² |
| 23 Nov 1838 - 6 Mar 1840 | Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius (b. 1798 - d. 1853) | Chief Commandant |
| 3 Jun 1840 - 10 Jan 1842 | Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius (1st time) (s.a.) | Commandants-General |
| 21 Feb 1842 - 9 Aug 1842 | Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius (2nd time) (s.a.) | Commandants-General |
| 10 May 1843 - May 1844 | Henry Cloete | Special Commissioner |
| 4 Dec 1845 - 1 Aug 1849 | Martin Thomas West | Lieutenant-governors |
| 19 Apr 1850 - 3 Mar 1855 | Benjamin Chilley Campbell Pine | Lieutenant-governors |
| 5 Nov 1856 - 31 Dec 1864 | John Scott | Lieutenant-governors |
| 31 Dec 1864 - 26 Jul 1865 | John Maclean | Lieutenant-governors |
| 26 Jul 1865 - 26 Aug 1865 | John Wellesley Thomas (acting) | Lieutenant-governors |
| 26 Aug 1865 - 24 May 1867 | John Jarvis Bisset (acting) | Lieutenant-governors |
| 24 May 1867 - 19 Jul 1872 | Robert William Keate | Lieutenant-governors |
| 19 Jul 1872 - 30 Apr 1873 | Anthony Musgrave | Lieutenant-governors |
| 30 Apr 1873 - 22 Jul 1873 | Thomas Milles (acting) | Lieutenant-governors |
| 22 Jul 1873 - 1 Apr 1875 | Sir Benjamin Chilley Campbell Pine | Lieutenant-governors |
| 1 Apr 1875 - 3 Sep 1875 | Sir Garnet Joseph Wolseley | Lieutenant-governors |
| 3 Sep 1875 - 20 Apr 1880 | Sir Henry Ernest Gascoyne Bulwer | Lieutenant-governors |
| 20 Apr 1880 - 5 May 1880 | William Bellairs (acting) | Lieutenant-governors |
| 5 May 1880 - 2 Jul 1880 | Henry Hugh Clifford (acting) | Lieutenant-governors |
| 2 Jul 1880 - 27 Feb 1881 | Sir George Pomeroy Colley | Governors |
| 17 Aug 1880 - 14 Sep 1880 | Henry Alexander | Governors |
| 27 Feb 1881 - 3 Apr 1881 | Sir Henry Evelyn Wood (acting) | Governors |
| 3 Apr 1881 - 9 Aug 1881 | Redvers Henry Buller (acting) | Governors |
| 22 Dec 1881 - 6 Mar 1882 | Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell | Governors |
| 6 Mar 1882 - 23 Oct 1885 | Sir Henry Ernest Gascoyne Bulwer | Governors |
| 18 Feb 1886 - 5 Jun 1889 | Sir Arthur Elibank Havelock | Governors |
| 1 Dec 1889 - Jul 1893 | Sir Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell | Governors |
| Jul 1893 - 27 Sep 1893 | Francis Seymour Haden (acting) | Governors |
| 28 Sep 1893 - 6 May 1901 | Sir Walter Francis Hely-Hutchinson | Governors |
| 13 May 1901 - 7 Jun 1907 | Sir Henry Edward McCallum | Governors |
| 2 Sep 1907 - 23 Dec 1909 | Sir Matthew Nathan | Governors |
| 17 Jan 1910 - 31 May 1910 | Paul Sanford Methuen, Baron Methuen of Corsham (b. 1845 - d. 1932) | Governors |
| 10 Oct 1893 - 14 Feb 1897 | Sir John Robinson | Prime ministers |
| 15 Feb 1897 - 4 Oct 1897 | Harry Escombe | Prime ministers |
| 5 Oct 1897 - 8 Jun 1899 | Sir Henry Binns | Prime ministers |
| 9 Jun 1899 - 17 Aug 1903 | Sir Albert Henry Hime | Prime ministers |
| 18 Aug 1903 - 16 May 1905 | George Morris Sutton | Prime ministers |
| 16 May 1905 - 28 Nov 1906 | Charles John Smythe | Prime ministers |
| 28 Nov 1906 - 28 Apr 1910 | Frederick Robert Moor | Prime ministers |
Zululand
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 1887 | British crown colony | Leaders |
| 1 Dec 1897 | incorporated into Natal | Leaders |
| 1887 - 1897 | the governors of Natal | Governors |
| 1887 - 1893 | Sir Melmoth Osborn | Resident commissioners and chief magistrates |
| 1893 - 1897 | Sir Marshall James Clarke | Resident commissioners and chief magistrates |
Orange Free State
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Mar 1848 - 11 Mar 1854 | Orange River Sovereignty | Leaders |
| 23 Feb 1854 | Orange Free State | Leaders |
| 29 Mar 1854 - 31 May 1902 | Republic of the Orange Free State | Leaders |
| Jan 1901 | Orange River Colony | Leaders |
| 31 May 1910 | part of the Union of South Africa | Leaders |
| 8 Mar 1848 - 23 Jul 1852 | Henry Douglas Warden | Residents |
| 23 Jul 1852 - 11 Mar 1854 | Henry Green | Residents |
| 23 Feb 1854 - 29 Mar 1854 | Josias Philippus Hoffman | Chairman of the Provisional Government |
| 29 Mar 1854 - Apr 1854 | Josias Philippus Hoffman | Chairman of the Volksraad |
| Apr 1854 | Jacobus Groenedal (acting) | State presidents |
| 18 Apr 1854 - 10 Feb 1855 | Josias Philippus Hoffman | State presidents |
| 10 Feb 1855 - 27 Aug 1855 | Jacobus Johannes Venter (1st time) Government) | State presidents |
| 27 Aug 1855 - 6 Sep 1859 | Jacobus Nicolaas Boshof | State presidents |
| 6 Sep 1859 - 15 Dec 1859 | Esaias Reynier Snyman (acting) | State presidents |
| 15 Dec 1859 - 8 Feb 1860 | Jacobus Johannes Venter (2nd time) | State presidents |
| 8 Feb 1860 - 20 Jun 1863 | Marthinus Wessel Pretorius | State presidents |
| 20 Jun 1863 - 2 Feb 1864 | Jacobus Johannes Venter (3rd time) | State presidents |
| 2 Feb 1864 - 14 Jul 1888 | Johannes Henricus Brand | State presidents |
| 31 Aug 1872 - 4 Oct 1872 | Just Friedrich Rudolph Kaufmann Höhne (acting for Brand) (b. 1831 - d. 1879) | State presidents |
| 4 Oct 1872 - 16 Jun 1873 | Committee (acting for Brand) - William Collins (b. 1803 - d. 1876) - Friedrich Pieter Schnehage (b. 1811 - d. 1888) - Gerhardus Johannes du Toit | State presidents |
| 14 Jul 1888 - 10 Jan 1889 | Pieter Jeremias Blignaut | State presidents |
| 10 Jan 1889 - 11 Dec 1895 | Francis William Reitz | State presidents |
| 11 Dec 1895 - 4 Mar 1896 | Pieter Jeremias Blignaut | State presidents |
| 4 Mar 1896 - 31 May 1902 | Marthinus Theunis Steyn | State presidents |
| 30 May 1902 - 31 May 1902 | Christiaan Rudolph de Wet | State presidents |
| Jan 1901 - 23 Jun 1902 | Hamilton John Goold-Adams | Lieutenant-governor |
| 23 Jun 1902 - 1 Apr 1905 | Alfred Milner, Viscount Milner | Governors |
| 2 Apr 1905 - 7 Jun 1907 | William Waldegrave Palmer, Earl of Selborne (b. 1859 - d. 1942) | Governors |
| 7 Jun 1907 - 31 May 1910 | Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams | Governors |
| 27 Nov 1907 - 31 May 1910 | Abraham Fischer | Prime minister |
Transvaal
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1848 | United Band established | Leaders |
| 17 Jan 1852 | Holland-African Republic | Leaders |
| 1853 | South-African Republic | Leaders |
| 12 Apr 1877 | Transvaal a British colony (nominally to Aug 1884) | Leaders |
| 8 Aug 1881 | Transvaal State (South-African Republic in domestic use) | Leaders |
| Aug 1884 - 31 May 1902 | South-African Republic (restored) | Leaders |
| 25 Oct 1900 | Transvaal a British colony | Leaders |
| 31 May 1910 | part of the Union of South Africa | Leaders |
| 20 Jun 1848 - 19 Sep 1849 | Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius (1st time) (b. 1798 - d. 1853) | Commandants-General |
| 1850 - Jan 1851 | Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius (2nd time) (acting) (s.a.) | Commandants-General |
| Jan 1851 - 17 Dec 1856 | Willem François Joubert | At Lijdenburg: |
| Jan 1851 - 16 Dec 1852 | Hendrik Potgieter | At Zoutpansberg: |
| 16 Dec 1852 - 6 Nov 1854 | Pieter Johannes Potgieter | At Zoutpansberg: |
| Nov 1854 - Jan 1858 | Stephanus Schoeman | At Zoutpansberg: |
| Jan 1851 - Apr 1852 | Johan Adam Enslin | At Marico: |
| Jan 1851 - 23 Jul 1853 | Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius (3rd time) (s.a.) | At Potchefstroom-Rustenburg: |
| 9 Aug 1853 - 15 Nov 1855 | Marthinus Wessel Pretorius | At Potchefstroom-Rustenburg: |
| 23 May 1849 - 18.. | Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius (s.a.) | Chairmen of the United Volksraad |
| *May 1851* | Willem Hendrik Jacobszoon | Chairmen of the United Volksraad |
| *1854* | Willem Hendrik Jacobszoon | Chairmen of the United Volksraad |
| Sep 1855 - 1855 | Hercules Albertus Pretorius | Chairmen of the United Volksraad |
| 15 Nov 1855 - 15 Sep 1860 | Marthinus Wessel Pretorius | State presidents |
| 15 Sep 1860 - 6 Dec 1860 | Johannes Hermanus Grobler (acting) | State presidents |
| 6 Dec 1860 - 17 Apr 1862 | Stephanus Schoeman | State presidents |
| 18 Apr 1862 - 10 May 1864 | Willem Cornelis Janse van Renseburg (b. 1818 - d. 1865) | State presidents |
| 10 May 1864 - 20 Nov 1871 | Marthinus Wessel Pretorius | State presidents |
| 21 Nov 1871 - 1 Jul 1872 | Daniël Jacobus Erasmus "van Straten" (acting) (b. 1830 - d. 1913) | State presidents |
| 1 Jul 1872 - 12 Apr 1877 | Thomas François Burgers | State presidents |
| 12 Apr 1877 - 4 Mar 1879 | Sir Theophilus Shepstone | Administrators |
| 4 Mar 1879 - 8 Aug 1881 | William Owen Lanyon (from 1880, Sir William Owen Lanyon) (b. 1842 - d. 1887) | Administrators |
| 29 Sep 1879 - 27 Apr 1880 | Sir Garnet Joseph Wolseley | Governor |
| 8 Aug 1881 - 9 May 1883 | Triumvirate - Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger (b. 1825 - d. 1904) - Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (s.a.) - Petrus Jacobus Joubert (b. 1831 - d. 1900) | Governor |
| 9 May 1883 - 31 May 1902 | Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger | State presidents |
| 10 Sep 1900 - 31 May 1902 | Schalk Willem Burger | State presidents |
| 21 Jun 1902 - 1 Apr 1905 | Alfred Milner, Viscount Milner | Governors |
| 2 Apr 1905 - 31 May 1910 | William Waldegrave Palmer, Earl of Selborne (s.a.) | Governors |
| 4 Feb 1907 - 31 May 1910 | Louis Botha | Prime minister |
Winburg-Potchefstroom/Andries-Ohrigstad/Lijdenburg
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Apr 1844 | community established at Winburg-Potchefstroom | Leaders |
| Jun 1845 | move to Andries-Ohrigstad | Leaders |
| 1849 | incorporated into Transvaal | Leaders |
| 17 Dec 1856 | Republic of Lijdenburg in South Africa established | Leaders |
| 4 Apr 1860 | incorporated into South-African Republic | Leaders |
| 9 Apr 1844 - 8 Jun 1846 | Hendrik Potgieter (1st time) | Commandants and Governors |
| 1 Sep 1846 - 22 Sep 1846 | Johannes Gerhardus Stephanus Bronkhorst (b. 1798 - d. 1848) | Commandants and Governors |
| 22 Sep 1846 - 1849 | Hendrik Potgieter (2nd time) | Commandants and Governors |
| 17 Dec 1856 - 18.. | Philippus Jeremias Coetser | Chairmen of the Volksraad |
| 18.. - 4 Apr 1860 | Cornelis Potgieter | Chairmen of the Volksraad |
Utrecht
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1854 | Republic of Utrecht established | Leaders |
| 8 May 1858 | incorporated into Republic of Lijdenburg | Leaders |
| 1854 - 8 May 1858 | Andreas Theodorus Spies | Landdrost |
New Republic
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Aug 1884 | New Republic of South Africa established | Leaders |
| 20 Jul 1888 | incorporated into South-African Republic | Leaders |
| 16 Aug 1884 - 20 Jul 1888 | Lucas Johannes Meijer | State president |
Little Free State
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Mar 1886 | Little Free State established | Leaders |
| 2 May 1891 | incorporated into South-African Republic | Leaders |
| 10 Mar 1886 - 2 May 1891 | J.J. Bezuidenhout | Chairman of the Committee |
Griqualand West
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1871 | incorporated into Cape Colony | Leaders |
| 1813 - 1819 | Barend Barends + Adam Kok II (b. c.1760 - d. 1835) | Chieftains |
| 20 Dec 1820 - 13 Dec 1852 | Andries Waterboer | Chieftains |
| 13 Dec 1852 - 27 Oct 1871 | Nicolaas Waterboer | Chieftains |
Campbell
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1861 | incorporated into Orange Free State | Leaders |
| 1816 - 1857 | Cornelis Kok II | Chieftain |
Klipdrift Republic
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Jul 1870 | Republic of Griqualand West, also called Klipdrift Republic | Leaders |
| 13 Dec 1870 | incorporated into Orange Free State | Leaders |
| 30 Jul 1870 - 13 Dec 1870 | Stafford Parker | President |
Philippolis
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1862 | incorporated into Orange Free State | Leaders |
| 25 Aug 1825 - 1827 | Adam Kok II (1st time) | Chieftains |
| 1827 - 1828 | Cornelis Kok III | Chieftains |
| 1828 - 12 Sep 1835 | Adam Kok II (2nd time) | Chieftains |
| 12 Sep 1835 - 1836 | Adam Kok III (1st time) | Chieftains |
| Feb 1836 - Jul 1837 | Abraham Kok | Chieftains |
| Jul 1837 - Sep 1837 | Brend Lucas (provisional) | Chieftains |
| Sep 1837 - 26 Dec 1861 | Adam Kok III (2nd time) | Chieftains |
Griqualand East
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1879 | incorporated into Cape Colony | Leaders |
| 1862 - 31 Dec 1875 | Adam Kok III | Chieftains |
| 31 Dec 1875 - 1876 | Adam "Eta" Kok (provisional) | Chieftains |
| 1876 - 1879 | Cornelis van der Westhuis | Chieftains |
South Africa
| Date or term | Officeholder or event | Category | Affiliation / detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 May 1910 | Cape, Natal, Orange Free State, and Transvaal united as a dominion (Union of South Africa) | Leaders | |
| 11 Dec 1931 | Statute of Westminster grants full sovereignty to the British dominions | Leaders | |
| 31 May 1961 | Republic of South Africa | Leaders | |
| 31 May 1910 - 8 Sep 1914 | Herbert John Gladstone, Viscount Gladstone (b. 1854 - d. 1930) | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 8 Sep 1914 - 20 Nov 1920 | Sydney Charles Buxton, Viscount Buxton (from 8 Nov 1920, Sydney Charles Buxton, Earl Buxton) (b. 1853 - d. 1934) | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 20 Nov 1920 - 11 Dec 1923 | Prince Arthur Frederick Patrick Albert of Connaught (b. 1883 - d. 1938) | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 11 Dec 1923 - 21 Jan 1924 | Sir James Rose-Innes (acting) | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 21 Jan 1924 - 26 Jan 1931 | Augustus Alexander George Cambridge, Earl of Athlone (b. 1874 - d. 1957) | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 26 Jan 1931 - 5 Apr 1937 | George Herbert Hyde Villiers, Earl of Clarendon (b. 1877 - d. 1955) | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 5 Apr 1937 - 17 Jul 1943 | Sir Patrick Duncan | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 19 Jul 1943 - 1 Jan 1946 | Nicolaas Jacobus de Wet (acting) | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 1 Jan 1946 - 1 Jan 1951 | Gideon Brand van Zyl | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 1 Jan 1951 - 25 Nov 1959 | Ernest George Jansen | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 26 Nov 1959 - 12 Jan 1960 | Lucas Cornelius Steyn (1st time) | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 12 Jan 1960 - 30 Apr 1961 | Charles Robberts Swart | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 30 Apr 1961 - 31 May 1961 | Lucas Cornelius Steyn (2nd time) | Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state) | |
| 31 May 1961 - 1 Jun 1967 | Charles Robberts Swart | State presidents | NP |
| 1 Jun 1967 - 10 Apr 1968 | Jozua François Naudé (acting) NP | State presidents | |
| 10 Apr 1968 - 9 Apr 1975 | Jacobus Johannes Fouché | State presidents | NP |
| 9 Apr 1975 - 19 Apr 1975 | Johannes de Klerk (acting) | State presidents | NP |
| 19 Apr 1975 - 21 Aug 1978 | Nicolaas J. Diederichs | State presidents | NP |
| 21 Aug 1978 - 10 Oct 1978 | Marais Viljoen (1st time) | State presidents | NP |
| 10 Oct 1978 - 4 Jun 1979 | B.J. Vorster | State presidents | NP |
| 4 Jun 1979 - 3 Sep 1984 | Marais Viljoen (2nd time) | State presidents | NP |
| 3 Sep 1984 - 15 Aug 1989 | Pieter Willem Botha | State presidents | NP |
| 19 Jan 1989 - 15 Mar 1989 | Chris Heunis | State presidents | NP |
| 15 Aug 1989 - 10 May 1994 | Frederik W. de Klerk | State presidents | NP |
| 10 May 1994 - 16 Jun 1999 | Nelson Mandela | Presidents | ANC |
| 16 Jun 1999 - | Thabo Mbeki | Presidents | ANC |
| 31 May 1910 - 27 Aug 1919 | Louis Botha | Prime ministers | 1911: SAP |
| 3 Sep 1919 - 30 Jun 1924 | Jan Smuts (1st time) | Prime ministers | SAP |
| 30 Jun 1924 - 5 Sep 1939 | J.B.M. Hertzog 5 Dec 1934: UP (b. 1866 - d. 1942) | Prime ministers | NP; |
| 5 Sep 1939 - 4 Jun 1948 | Jan Smuts (2nd time) | Prime ministers | UP |
| 4 Jun 1948 - 30 Nov 1954 | Daniel F. Malan | Prime ministers | NP |
| 30 Nov 1954 - 24 Aug 1958 | Johannes G. Strijdom | Prime ministers | NP |
| 24 Aug 1958 - 3 Sep 1958 | Charles Robberts Swart | Prime ministers | NP |
| 3 Sep 1958 - 6 Sep 1966 | Hendrik F. Verwoerd | Prime ministers | NP |
| 6 Sep 1966 - 13 Sep 1966 | Theophilus Dönges (acting) | Prime ministers | NP |
| 13 Sep 1966 - 28 Sep 1978 | B.J. Vorster | Prime ministers | NP |
| 28 Sep 1978 - 14 Sep 1984 | Pieter Willem Botha | Prime ministers | NP |