Marais Viljoen

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Marais Viljoen
Marais Viljoen
5th and 7th State President of South Africa
In office 1978 – 1978 (acting) 1979 - 1984
Preceded by	Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs (1978) Balthazar Johannes Vorster (1979)
Succeeded by	Balthazar Johannes Vorster (1978) Pieter Willem Botha (1984)
Born	December 2, 1915(1915-12-02) Robertson, Western Cape
Died	January 4, 2007 (aged 91) Pretoria, Gauteng Province
Political party	National Party

Marais Viljoen (December 2, 1915 - January 4, 2007) was the last non-executive State President of South Africa from June 4, 1979 until September 3, 1984.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Political career 3 State Presidency 4 Death 5 References

[edit] Early life

Marais was the youngest of six children. He was married on April 20, 1940 to Dorothea Maria Brink (September 17, 1917 – October 5, 2005), and had one daughter from his marriage, who in turn had one son. Before entering a political career, he worked in the Post Office, and thereafter at the Afrikaans language newspaper, Die Transvaler, edited by Hendrik Verwoerd, who later became Prime Minister.

[edit] Political career

Marais served as MP for Alberton, near Johannesburg, as President of the Senate, and as acting State President from August 21, 1978 to October 10, 1978, after which B.J. Vorster was briefly elected to the position. Marais was seen as a relatively moderate member of the National Party that instituted apartheid.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] State Presidency

After Vorster's resignation in 1979, Marais held the post of State President from June 4, 1979 until September 3, 1984. The State Presidency during this time was a ceremonial post, like that of the Governor-General, which it replaced in 1961.

Under the 1983 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the position of the State President was changed from a ceremonial post to a manager of executive position. Marais retired and was succeeded by P. W. Botha, who until 1984 had been the executive Prime Minister.

Following constitutional change, Viljoen retired from public life but was known to maintain an interest in politics thereafter. [1]

[edit] Death

Marais Viljoen died on 4 January 2007 due to heart failure.^[1] He received a state funeral on 13 January 2007.^[2]

[edit] References

Preceded by Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs	Acting State President of South Africa 1978	Succeeded by Balthazar Johannes Vorster
Preceded by Balthazar Johannes Vorster	State President of South Africa 1979–1984	Succeeded by Pieter Willem Botha

v • d • e Presidents of the Senate and NCOP of South Africa First Senate (1910-1981) Reitz • van Heerden • Kerr • van Niekerk • Malan • Myburgh • Wessels • van Niekerk • Naudé • de Klerk • Viljoen • Kruger Second Senate (1994-1997) Coetsee National Council of Provinces (1997-present) Lekota • Pandor • Kgoali • Mahlangu

v • d • e Home affairs ministers of South Africa pre-Apartheid (1910-1948) Smuts • Fischer • Theron • Watt • Duncan • Malan • Hofmeyr • Stuttaford • Lawrence • Clarkson • Lawrence Apartheid-era (1948-1994) Dönges • Naudé • de Klerk • Le Roux • Muller • Viljoen • Mulder • Schlebusch • Heunis • de Klerk • Botha • Louw • Pienaar • Schutte Post-Apartheid (1994-present) Buthelezi • Mapisa-Nqakula

v • d • e Presidents of South Africa 1961–1994 ceremonial Charles Robberts Swart · Jozua François Naudé (acting) · Jacobus Johannes Fouché · Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs · Marais Viljoen (acting) · B. J. Vorster · Marais Viljoen executive Pieter Willem Botha · Frederik Willem de Klerk 1994– Nelson Mandela · Thabo Mbeki