Theophilus Ebenhaezer Dönges

Theophilus Ebenhaezer Dönges
T.E. Dönges in 1948
Prime Minister of South Africa Acting as Senior Cabinet Minister
In office 6 September 1966 – 13 September 1966
President	Charles Swart
Preceded by	Hendrik Verwoerd
Succeeded by	Balthazar Johannes Vorster
13th Minister of Finance
In office 20 October 1958 – 24 February 1967
Monarch	Elizabeth II (1958–1961)
President	Charles Swart (1961–1967)
Prime Minister	Hendrik Verwoerd Balthazar Johannes Vorster
Preceded by	Jozua François Naudé
Succeeded by	Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs
12th Minister of the Interior
In office 4 June 1948 – 20 October 1958[1]
Monarch	George VI Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Daniel Malan Johannes Strijdom Hendrik Verwoerd
Preceded by	Harry Gordon Lawrence
Succeeded by	Jozua François Naudé
Member of the House of Assembly for Worcester
In office 1941 – 28 February 1967
Personal details
Born	8 March 1898 Klerksdorp South African Republic
Died	10 January 1968(1968-01-10) (aged 69) Cape Town, Cape Province South Africa
Nationality	South African
Political party	National Party
Alma mater	University of Stellenbosch
Occupation	Politician
Cabinet	1948–1967
Religion	Dutch Reformed Church

Theophilus Ebenhaezer ('Eben') Dönges (8 March 1898 – 10 January 1968) was a South African politician who was elected State President of South Africa but died before he could take office, aged 69.

Dr Dönges was a senior member of the National Party which ruled South Africa from 1948 to 1994. As Minister of the Interior, from 1948 to 1961, he was one of the so-called "architects" of apartheid, introducing race-based population registration, and removing Coloured voters from the common voters' roll as a prelude to disenfranchising them altogether. During his tenure as Minister of the Interior, Dönges believed that apartheid would continue only for the next two generations. He was Minister of Finance from 1958 to 1967. After the assassination of Prime Minister Verwoerd Dönges became acting Prime Minister before a National Party congress named B. J. Vorster to succeed to the Premiership.

The state funeral of Dr. T. E. Dönges. Cape Town, January 1968

Dönges was elected State President to succeed C.R. Swart on his retirement on 1 June 1967, but suffered a stroke and fell into a coma before he could take office. He died in 1968 without regaining consciousness. His deputy Jozua Naudé acted for him until 6 December 1967 when he officially replaced Dönges. He received the posthumous honours granted to a former state president: a state funeral and his effigy on the following year's coins.

References

External links

v t e Heads of State of South Africa (List) Union of South Africa George V Edward VIII George VI Elizabeth II Republic (ceremonial) Charles Robberts Swart Theophilus Ebenhaezer Dönges Jozua François Naudé^* Jacobus Johannes Fouché Johannes de Klerk^* Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs Marais Viljoen^* B. J. Vorster Marais Viljoen Republic (executive) P. W. Botha F. W. de Klerk Nelson Mandela Thabo Mbeki Kgalema Motlanthe Jacob Zuma ^* Acting President