President of the Senate of South Africa

The President of the Senate presided over the Senate of South Africa, the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa. The President was chosen from among the Senators at its first sitting following a general election and whenever the office was vacant. The President acted as a "referee", taking charge of debates to make sure that the Senators could participate freely while keeping to the rules. The President also had managerial duties to ensure that Senate runs smoothly. Each political party in the Senate elected a chief whip to run its affairs. The presiding officers, the chief whips, and the Leader of Government Business (the person appointed by the Cabinet to liaise with Parliament) together decided on the programme of work.

The Senate was abolished for the first time in 1980, with effect from 1 January 1981, during a process of constitutional reform. The Senate was briefly reestablished under the 1993 interim constitution. The Senate was abolished for the second and final time under the 1997 constitution. The office of President of the Senate was succeeded by the office of Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces.

List of Presidents (1910–present)

Presidents of the Senate (1910–1980 and 1994–1997)

No.	President (Birth–Death)		Term of Office		Political Party
Presidents of the First Senate (1910–1980)
style="background:Template:South African Party/meta/color; color:white;"| 1		Francis William Reitz (1844–1934)	1 November 1910	10 March 1921	South African Party
style="background:Template:South African Party/meta/color; color:white;"| 2		H. C. van Heerden (1862–1933)	11 March 1921	30 June 1929	South African Party
style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 3		R. A. Kerr	19 July 1929	16 January 1930	National Party
style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;" height=30 |		Christiaan Andries van Niekerk (1874–1966)	17 January 1930	18 January 1940	National Party (until 1934) United Party (from 1934)
4
style="background:Template:United Party (South Africa)/meta/color; color:white;" height=30 |
style="background:Template:United Party (South Africa)/meta/color; color:white;"| 5		François Stephanus Malan (1871–1941)	19 January 1940	31 December 1941 (Died in office)	United Party
style="background:Template:United Party (South Africa)/meta/color; color:white;"| 6		Philippus Arnoldus Myburgh (1880–1946)	12 January 1942	31 December 1945	United Party
style="background:Template:United Party (South Africa)/meta/color; color:white;"| 7		Pieter Jurie Wessels (1878–1958)	18 January 1946	5 August 1948	United Party
style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| (4)		Christiaan Andries van Niekerk (1874–1966)	6 August 1948	19 January 1961	National Party
style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 8		Jozua François Naudé (1889–1969)	20 January 1961	31 May 1969 (Died in office)	National Party
style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 9		Johannes de Klerk (1903–1979)	6 June 1969	January 1976	National Party
style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 10		Marais Viljoen (1915–2007)	23 January 1976	18 June 1979	National Party
style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 11		Jimmy Kruger (1917–1987)	19 June 1979	31 December 1980	National Party
Post abolished (1 January 1981 – 20 May 1994)
President of the Second Senate (1994–1997)
style="background:Template:National Party (South Africa)/meta/color;"| 12		Kobie Coetsee (1931–2000)	20 May 1994	4 February 1997	National Party

Chairpersons of the National Council of Provinces (1997–present)

No.	Chairperson (Birth–Death)		Term of Office		Political Party
style="background:Template:African National Congress/meta/color; color:white;"| 1		Mosiuoa Lekota (1948–)	6 February 1997	21 June 1999	African National Congress
style="background:Template:African National Congress/meta/color; color:white;"| 2		Naledi Pandor (1953–)	21 June 1999	4 May 2004	African National Congress
style="background:Template:African National Congress/meta/color; color:white;"| 3		Joyce Kgoali (1950–2004)	4 May 2004	21 November 2004 (Died in office)	African National Congress
style="background:Template:African National Congress/meta/color; color:white;"| 4		Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu (1952–)	17 January 2005 Acting since 21 November 2004	22 May 2014	African National Congress
style="background:Template:African National Congress/meta/color; color:white;"| 5		Thandi Modise (1959–)	22 May 2014	Incumbent	African National Congress

See also

• Senate of South Africa
• National Council of Provinces

References

• Keesing's Contemporary Archives (various volumes)
• The South African Constitution, by H.J. May (3rd edition 1955, Juta & Co)

External links

• South African ministries, etc – Rulers.org