The deputy president of South Africa is the second highest ranking officer of the executive branch of the
Government of South Africa
The Government of South Africa, or South African Government, is the national government of the Republic of South Africa, a parliamentary republic with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a parliamentary ...
. The deputy president is a member of the
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
and the
Cabinet.
The deputy president is constitutionally required to "assist the president in the execution of the functions of government", and may be assigned any government portfolio by presidential proclamation.
The deputy president performs the duties of the president when the president is outside the country's borders, unable to fulfill the duties of the office, or when the presidency is vacant.
The deputy president is generally appointed as the
leader of government business in the
Parliament of South Africa
The Parliament of the Republic of South Africa is South Africa's legislature. It is located in Cape Town; the country's legislative capital city, capital.
Under the present Constitution of South Africa, the bicameralism, bicameral Parliamen ...
by the president.
Under the interim constitution (valid from 1994 to 1996), there was a
Government of National Unity, in which a member of parliament from the largest opposition party was entitled to a position as deputy president. Along with
Mbeki, the previous state president,
F. W. de Klerk, also served as deputy president in his capacity as the leader of the
National Party, then the second-largest party in the new parliament. De Klerk later resigned and went into opposition with his party. A voluntary coalition government continues to exist under the new constitution (adopted in 1996), although there have been no appointments of opposition politicians to the post of deputy president.
The official living residences of the deputy president are Oliver Tambo House in Pretoria, Highstead, in Cape Town and Dr John L Dube House in Durban.
Inception and expiry of term
The deputy president's term of office is not fixed by law. The deputy president's term begins upon appointment by the president. The deputy president must be selected from the members of the National Assembly and takes a prescribed oath.
The deputy president's term is ended by one of four constitutional mechanisms: dismissal by the president, a successful 'motion of no confidence in the president' by the National Assembly, a successful 'motion of no confidence excluding the president' by the National Assembly, or a newly elected president's assumption of office. A statement of resignation can also end a deputy president's term of office.
Informal roles
Depending on the extent of any informal roles and functions of the deputy president depend on the specific relationship between the president and deputy president, but often the roles include tasks like:
* Spokesperson for the administration policies
* Adviser to the president
Deputy presidents of South Africa (1994–present)
;Parties
Timeline
See also
*
List of current vice presidents
*
Vice State President of South Africa
*
President of South Africa
References
{{Reflist
*
Deputy President
A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...
Politics of South Africa
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...