<P> Under the 1961 Constitution, the first constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the State President replaced the Monarch as ceremonial head of state . The State President was elected by Parliament for a seven - year term . In the event of a vacancy the President of the Senate served as Acting State President . </P> <Dl> <Dt> Status </Dt> </Dl> <Table> <Tr> <Th> No </Th> <Th> State President (Birth--Death) </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Tenure </Th> <Th> Elected </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Political affiliation (at time of appointment) </Th> <Th> Prime Minister </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Took office </Th> <Th> Left office </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th> Charles Robberts Swart (1894--1982) </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> 31 May 1961 </Td> <Td> 1 June 1967 (resigned .) </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> National Party </Td> <Td> Verwoerd Vorster </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td>--</Td> <Td> Eben Dönges (1898--1968) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Elected but did not take office because of illness </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> National Party </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td>--</Td> <Td> Jozua François Naudé (1889--1969) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1 June 1967 </Td> <Td> 10 April 1968 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> National Party </Td> <Td> Vorster </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th> Jacobus Johannes Fouché (1898--1980) </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 April 1968 </Td> <Td> 9 April 1975 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> National Party </Td> <Td> Vorster </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td>--</Td> <Td> Johannes de Klerk (1903--1979) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 9 April 1975 </Td> <Td> 19 April 1975 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> National Party </Td> <Td> Vorster </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th> Nico Diederichs (1903--1978) </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> 19 April 1975 </Td> <Td> 21 August 1978 (died in office .) </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> National Party </Td> <Td> Vorster </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td>--</Td> <Td> Marais Viljoen (1915--2007) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 21 August 1978 </Td> <Td> 10 October 1978 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> National Party </Td> <Td> Vorster Botha </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th> B.J. Vorster (1915--1983) </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 October 1978 </Td> <Td> 4 June 1979 (resigned .) </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> National Party </Td> <Td> Botha </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 5 </Th> <Th> Marais Viljoen (1915--2007) </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> 4 June 1979 </Td> <Td> 19 June 1979 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> National Party </Td> <Td> Botha </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 19 June 1979 </Td> <Td> 3 September 1984 </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> No </Th> <Th> State President (Birth--Death) </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Tenure </Th> <Th> Elected </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Political affiliation (at time of appointment) </Th> <Th> Prime Minister </Th> </Tr>

Who was the first president of the republic of south africa