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 the second most important leader in the country's government. This person works closely with the President. The Deputy President is also a member of the National Assembly (which is like the main parliament) and the Cabinet (a group of top government officials).

The Deputy President's 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 cannot do their job, the Deputy President steps in to help. They also take over if the President's position becomes empty.

Usually, the President chooses the Deputy President to be the leader of government business in the Parliament of South Africa. This means they help guide new laws and discussions in parliament.

From 1994 to 1996, South Africa had a special "Government of National Unity." During this time, a member from the second-largest political party could also be a Deputy President. For example, F. W. de Klerk, who was the previous State President, served as Deputy President alongside Thabo Mbeki. De Klerk was the leader of the National Party, which was the second-largest party then. He later left this role. Even after 1996, the government can still work together with other parties, but no opposition politicians have been appointed as Deputy President since then.

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

Becoming Deputy President: How it Works

The Deputy President does not have a set time limit for how long they can serve. Their term starts when the President chooses them. They must be a member of the National Assembly and take a special promise (oath) to do their job well.

When a Deputy President's Term Ends

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

• The President can ask them to step down.
• 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, but not the President.
• A new President takes office.
• The Deputy President can choose to resign (step down) from their position.

What Else Does the Deputy President Do?

The Deputy President often takes on other important roles, depending on their relationship with the President. These can include:

• Being the main spokesperson for the government's plans and policies.
• Giving advice and ideas to the President.

Deputy Presidents of South Africa (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 (Birth–Death)	Term of office			President	Political party
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
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 but became president on 9 May 2009)	6 years	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 (1960–2025)	27 February 2018	28 February 2023 (resigned)	5 years, 1 day	Cyril Ramaphosa
9		Paul Mashatile (born 1961)	7 March 2023	Incumbent	2 years, 152 days

Timeline of Deputy Presidents

This timeline shows how long each Deputy President has served.

See Also

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