List of South African presidents by age

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This is a list of presidents of South Africa by age, including state presidents (1961 to 1994) and presidents (since 1994).

Contents

This table lists presidents by age at assuming office from youngest to oldest

NameDate of birthDate of deathDate and age at inauguration
F. W. de Klerk 18 March 193611 November 202115 August 1989(1989-08-15) (aged 53)
Thabo Mbeki 18 June 1942alive16 June 1999(1999-06-16) (aged 56)
Kgalema Motlanthe 19 July 1949alive25 September 2008(2008-09-25) (aged 59)
B. J. Vorster 13 December 191510 September 198310 October 1978(1978-10-10) (aged 62)
Marais Viljoen 2 December 19154 January 20074 June 1979(1979-06-04) (aged 63)
Cyril Ramaphosa 17 November 1952alive14 February 2018(2018-02-14) (aged 65)
Charles Robberts Swart 5 December 189416 July 198231 May 1961(1961-05-31) (aged 66)
Jacob Zuma 12 April 1942alive9 May 2009(2009-05-09) (aged 67)
P. W. Botha 12 January 191631 October 20063 September 1984(1984-09-03) (aged 68)
Jacobus Johannes Fouché 6 June 189823 September 198010 April 1968(1968-04-10) (aged 69)
Nico Diederichs 17 November 190321 August 197819 April 1975(1975-04-19) (aged 71)
Nelson Mandela 18 July 19185 December 201310 May 1994(1994-05-10) (aged 75)

List of presidents by longevity

Rank
Heads of state
Date of Birth
Date of Death
Longevity
(Years, Days)
Longevity
(Days)
1 Nelson Mandela 18 July 19185 December 201395 years, 140 days34,839 days
2 Marais Viljoen 2 December 19154 January 200791 years, 33 days33,271 days
3 P. W. Botha 12 January 191631 October 200690 years, 292 days33,165 days
4 Charles Robberts Swart 5 December 189416 July 198287 years, 223 days31,999 days
5 Frederik de Klerk 18 March 193611 November 202185 years, 238 days31,284 days
6 Jacobus Johannes Fouché 6 June 189823 September 198082 years, 109 days30,059 days
7 Jacob Zuma 12 April 1942Living81 years, 118 days29,703 days
8 Thabo Mbeki 18 June 1942Living81 years, 51 days29,636 days
9 Nico Diederichs 17 November 190321 August 197874 years, 277 days27,306 days
10 Kgalema Motlanthe 19 July 1949Living74 years, 20 days27,048 days
11 Cyril Ramaphosa 17 November 1952Living70 years, 264 days25,831 days
12 B. J. Vorster 13 December 191510 September 198367 years, 271 days24,743 days
List of heads of state of South Africa 12
Living4
Deceased8

South African heads of state's ages

#
Head of state
Date of birth
Date of
inauguration
Age at
inauguration
End of
term
Age at
End of
term
Length of
retirement
Date of death
Lifespan
1 Charles Robberts Swart 5 December 189431 May 196166 years, 177 days1 June 196772 years, 178 days15 years, 45 days16 July 198231,999 days (87 years, 223 days)
2 Jacobus Johannes Fouché 6 June 189810 April 196869 years, 309 days9 April 197576 years, 307 days5 years, 167 days23 September 198030,059 days (82 years, 109 days)
3 Nico Diederichs 17 November 190319 April 197571 years, 153 days21 August 197874 years, 277 daysN/A21 August 197827,306 days (74 years, 277 days)
4 B. J. Vorster 13 December 191510 October 197862 years, 301 days4 June 197963 years, 173 days4 years, 98 days10 September 198324,743 days (67 years, 271 days)
5 Marais Viljoen 2 December 19154 June 197963 years, 184 days3 September 198468 years, 276 days22 years, 123 days4 January 200733,271 days (91 years, 33 days)
6 P. W. Botha 12 January 19163 September 198468 years, 235 days15 August 198973 years, 215 days17 years, 77 days31 October 200633,165 days (90 years, 292 days)
7 Frederik de Klerk 18 March 193615 August 198953 years, 150 days10 May 199458 years, 53 days27 years, 185 days11 November 202131,284 days (85 years, 238 days)
8 Nelson Mandela 18 July 191810 May 199475 years, 305 days16 June 199980 years, 333 days14 years, 172 days5 December 201334,839 days (95 years, 140 days)
9 Thabo Mbeki 18 June 194216 June 199956 years, 363 days24 September 200866 years, 98 days14 years, 318 days(living)29,636 days (81 years, 51 days)
10 Kgalema Motlanthe 19 July 194925 September 200859 years, 68 days9 May 200959 years, 294 days14 years, 91 days(living)27,048 days (74 years, 20 days)
11 Jacob Zuma 12 April 19429 May 200967 years, 27 days14 February 201875 years, 308 days5 years, 175 days(living)29,703 days (81 years, 118 days)
12 Cyril Ramaphosa 17 November 195214 February 201865 years, 89 days(incumbent)(incumbent)(incumbent)(living)25,831 days (70 years, 264 days)
#Head of stateDate of birthDate of
inauguration
Age at
inauguration
End of
term
Age at
End of
term
Length of
retirement
Date of deathLifespan

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