President of South Africa - history, legislation and interesting facts

The racial conflict between the black majority and the white minority has become a key moment in the history of the Republic of South Africa. In the mid-twentieth century, the apartheid regime was established (the policy of racial segregation), which lasted until the nineties. The post of president of South Africa was established only in the summer of 1993.

Presidential history

The President is the highest public office in the Republic of South Africa. In the early nineties, negotiations began between the warring parties on the introduction of a democratic racial system. The date of the country's first presidential election — April 27, 1994 — was agreed upon in the summer of 1993 negotiations. The provisional constitution was ratified a few months later.

In May 1994, Nelson Mandela became the first president of South Africa. Under him, a new constitution was developed and put into circulation. Mandela decided to resign, refusing to run for the second term. The first president supported Thabo Mbeki in his quest to become the new political leader of the Republic of South Africa.

Nelson Mandela's successor confidently won the election. In 2005, he dismissed Jacob Zuma, the fourth president of South Africa. Zuma was accused of involvement in a serious corruption scandal. Later, all charges against the politician were dropped, and the then president resigned ahead of schedule - on September 24, 2008 T. Mbeki announced his resignation.

MPs elected Kgalem Motlanthe as the new president. He was to hold office until the next parliamentary election. Later, Motlante was replaced by Jacob Zuma, who is the current president of South Africa. Zuma almost exceeded the record for the duration of the reign - he has been in power for more than 8 years, while one of his predecessors, Thabo Mbeki, was president for 9 years and 100 days. Zuma was elected for a second term without a vote, as there were no other candidates.

Legislative powers

According to the main document of the Republic of South Africa, namely the constitution, the president is the head of the country, the executive branch and the commander in chief. The president is elected from among the deputies of the National Assembly after each parliamentary election. The term of the board is 5 years, re-election to the position can be no more than two times.

The powers of the President of the Republic of South Africa include:

• submitting bills to the National Assembly for review;

• approval and signing of laws;

• forwarding draft laws to the Constitutional Court for a decision on the conformity of the draft law with the current constitution;

• job assignments;

• extraordinary convocation of the National Assembly, Council, Parliament;

• the appointment of a commission of inquiry;

• appointment of diplomatic representatives, consuls, ambassadors;

• award awards;

• the right to pardon or commutation of sentence;

• reception and recognition of diplomatic representatives of foreign states and so on.

List of Presidents of South Africa

To date, four politicians have been in the presidency of the Republic of South Africa. All of them are representatives of the African National Congress. List of Presidents of South Africa:

1. Nelson Mandela (1994-1999).

2. Thabo Mbeki (1999-2008).

3. Kgalema Motlante (2008-2009).

4. Jacob Zuma (2009-present).

Nelson Mandela

South African President N. Mandela is one of the most famous human rights activists. The politician was awarded the Peace Prize. A. Nobel in 1993, but the award was presented to him in absentia, since Mandela was in prison. The total term of his imprisonment was 27 years. This is the oldest and longest-lived president of South Africa (he took office at the age of 76, and at the end of his political career he was 81 years old).

As president, Nelson Mandela became the first black man in the history of the country. The first deputy head of state appointed Frederick Willem de Klerk, who became the last white leader of the country, and the second - Thabo Mbeki - his future successor.

During his tenure, Nelson Mandela adopted a number of important socio-economic laws, the main purpose of which was to eliminate the social and economic inequality of South African citizens. His key actions include:

1. The introduction of free medical care for children under six years of age, pregnant women, young mothers.

2. Initiation of the program “Reconstruction and Development”, which finances housing and communal services, education, social welfare, healthcare.

3. The increase in budget expenditures on social payments to the population.

4. The introduction of financial assistance for the maintenance of black children in rural areas.

5. The introduction of equality in the appointment of benefits, assistance from then on was to be provided to all those in need, regardless of race, religion, and so on.

6. Increased funding for education.

7. The adoption of the law, according to which persons deprived of land as a result of the 1913 reform, could demand the return of property.

8. Protection of tenants of agricultural land plots; according to this law, citizens over 65 could not be deprived of land at all, and those younger were deprived only by court order.

9. The introduction of grants to combat child poverty.

10. Introduction of a mechanism for advanced training directly at the place of work.

11. Adoption of a law that fairly regulates labor relations in enterprises.

12. Adoption of a law on equal opportunities for representatives of different races in employment.

13. Mass connection of residents to telephone and electric networks.

14. Reconstruction of many hospitals.

15. Providing unhindered access to water for citizens.

16. The introduction of compulsory education for children from 6 to 14 years.

17. Providing free meals for students.

18. Improving the working conditions of miners.

19. Beginning of the implementation of the course to provide all those in need with essential medicines and vital medicines.

After retiring at the age of 81, the former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, began to actively call for coverage of HIV / AIDS problems, and remained an honorary member of many universities. In 2001-2002, an attempt was made on him, the plan of which was foiled. Criminals were arrested and sentenced to imprisonment.

Thabo Mbeki

From 1999 to 2008, Tabo Mbeki served as president. The politician has earned a mixed assessment from his contemporaries. He not only repeatedly denied the viral nature of AIDS, but also dismissed colleagues who did not agree with this position. The Minister of Health (President’s protégé) actively opposed the spread of antiviral drugs and criticized Western medicine. This state of affairs led to a surge in AIDS deaths - according to various estimates, from the presidency of Tabo Mbeki in South Africa, from 333 thousand to 365 thousand sick people died.

Kgalema Motlante

Kgalema (Khalema) Motlanthe became the first president of South Africa to speak the language of the Tswana people living in Botswana and some neighboring states. It’s hard to find information about his actions in a high post - the politician has been in power for too short a time (only 226 days).