Deputy President of South Africa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa
Incumbent Paul Mashatile since 7 March 2023
Style	Mr. Deputy President (informal) His Excellency (formal, diplomatic)
Abbreviation	DP
Member of	Cabinet National Assembly
Reports to	The President
Residence	Oliver Tambo House (Pretoria) Highstead (Cape Town) Dr. John L. Dube House (Durban)
Appointer	President
Term length	No term limit
Inaugural holder	F. W. De Klerk Thabo Mbeki
Formation	10 May 1994; 31 years ago (1994-05-10)
Salary	R3 million

The Deputy President of South Africa is a very important leader in the country. They are the second-highest official in the government, right after the President. They are also part of the parliament and the Cabinet, which is like the President's main team of advisors.

Their main job is to help the President run the country. The President can also give them special tasks or areas to focus on. If the President is out of the country, or can't do their job, the Deputy President steps in. They also take over if the President's position becomes empty.

Often, the President also asks them to be the 'leader of government business' in Parliament. This means they help guide the government's plans through the law-making process.

When South Africa became a democracy in 1994, there was a special "Government of National Unity." This meant that leaders from different political parties worked together. Because of this, South Africa had two Deputy Presidents at first: Thabo Mbeki and F. W. de Klerk. De Klerk was the leader of the second-largest party at the time.

The Deputy President has official homes in different cities. These include Oliver Tambo House in Pretoria, Highstead in Cape Town, and Dr John L. Dube House in Durban.

How a Deputy President Starts and Ends Their Job

The time a Deputy President serves is not set in stone by law. Their job begins when the President chooses them. The person chosen must be a member of the National Assembly. They also have to take a special oath to promise they will do their job well.

A Deputy President's term can end in a few ways:

• The President can decide to dismiss them.
• The National Assembly can vote that they no longer have confidence in the President, which also affects the Deputy President.
• The National Assembly can vote that they no longer have confidence in the Deputy President specifically.
• A new President takes office after an election.
• The Deputy President can choose to resign, which means they step down from their position.

What Does the Deputy President Do?

The exact duties of a Deputy President can change depending on their relationship with the President. However, they often have important informal roles, such as:

• Speaking for the government's plans and policies.
• Giving advice and suggestions to the President.

South Africa's Deputy Presidents (1994–Present)

Here is a list of the people who have served as Deputy President of South Africa since 1994.

Parties

      National Party
      African National Congress

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			President	Political Party
			Started Job	Left Job	Years Served
1		F. W. de Klerk (1936–2021)	10 May 1994	30 June 1996 (resigned)	2 years, 51 days	Nelson Mandela	National Party
2		Thabo Mbeki (born 1942)	10 May 1994	14 June 1999 (became president)	5 years, 35 days		African National Congress
3		Jacob Zuma (born 1942)	14 June 1999	14 June 2005 (dismissed)	6 years, 0 days	Thabo Mbeki
4		Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka (born 1955)	14 June 2005	23 September 2008 (resigned)	3 years, 101 days
5		Baleka Mbete (born 1949)	25 September 2008	9 May 2009 (term ended)	226 days	Kgalema Motlanthe
6		Kgalema Motlanthe (born 1949)	9 May 2009	26 May 2014 (term ended)	5 years, 17 days	Jacob Zuma
7		Cyril Ramaphosa (born 1952)	26 May 2014	15 February 2018 (became president)	3 years, 265 days
8		David Mabuza (born 1960)	27 February 2018	28 February 2023 (resigned)	5 years, 1 day	Cyril Ramaphosa
9		Paul Mashatile (born 1961)	7 March 2023	Incumbent	2 years, 108 days

See also

• List of current vice presidents
• Vice State President of South Africa
• President of South Africa