List of administrators of former South African provinces


This article lists the administrators of former South African provinces. It encompasses the period from 1910 to 1994, when South Africa was divided into four provinces namely: Cape Province, Natal Province, Orange Free State Province and Transvaal Province. Before the provinces were created, the area was divided into four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal Colony, Orange River Colony and Transvaal Colony.
The provinces were established as a result of the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, and disestablished after the Republic of South Africa held the first post-apartheid general election in 1994.

Cape Province

TenurePortraitIncumbentNotes
31 May 1910 to December 1925Nicolaas Frederic de WaalFrom 2 January 1911, Sir Frederic de Waal
January 1926 to August 1929Adriaan Paulus Johannes Fourie
September 1929 to September 1939Johannes Hendrik Conradie
September 1939 to September 1942François Allen Joubert
2 October 1942 to 31 December 1945Gideon Brand van ZylAfterwards served as the Governor-General of South Africa, from 1946 to 1951
1 January 1946 to 1 July 1946Philippus Arnoldus MyburghPreviously served as the President of the Senate, from 1942 to 1945
23 July 1946 to 22 July 1951:af:Johan Carinus|Johan Carinus
1 August 1951 to 27 March 1958:af:Philippus Jacobus Olivier|Philippus Jacobus Olivier
12 May 1958 to 28 April 1960Josias Hendrik Otto du Plessis
28 April 1960 to 31 May 1970Johannes Nicholas MalanActing to 1 June 1960
1 June 1970 to May 1975Andries Heydenrich Vosloo
June 1975 to June 1979Lourens Albertus Petrus Anderson Munnik
June 1979 to July 1989Eugene "Gene" van der Merwe LouwAfterwards served as the Speaker of the House of Assembly, from 1991 to 1994
July 1989 to May 1994Jacobus "Kobus" Meiring

Natal Province

TenurePortraitIncumbentNotes
May 1910 to January 1918Charles John Smythe
February 1918 to January 1928George Thomas Plowman
February 1928 to January 1943Herbert Gordon Watson
February 1943 to November 1944George Heaton Nicholls
November 1944 to February 1948Douglas Edgar Mitchell
February 1948 to May 1958Denis Gem Shepstone
June 1958 to November 1961Alfred Ernest Trollip
November 1961 to August 1970Theodor Johannes Adolph Gerdener
August 1970 to June 1979Wynand Wilhelm Benjamin Havemann
June 1979 to August 1979Frank Martin1st time, acting
August 1979 to September 1984Jan Christoffel "Stoffel" Greyling Botha
September 1984 to November 1984Frank Martin2nd time, acting
November 1984 to April 1990Radclyffe CadmanPreviously served as the Leader of the Opposition, in 1977
April 1990 to 7 May 1994Cornelius Johannes van Rooyen Botha

Orange Free State Province

TenurePortraitIncumbentNotes
May 1910 to May 1915Alfred Ernest William Ramsbottom
May 1915 to 2 March 1924Cornelius Hermanus WesselsFrom 4 March 1920, Sir Cornelius Hermanus Wessels
11 March 1924 to March 1929Esaias Reinier Grobler
March 1929 to 11 November 1936Carl Theodorus Muller Wilcocks
November 1936 to December 1936Johannes BuysActing
December 1936 to December 1940Johannes Frederik Janse van Rensburg-
December 1940 to December 1950Stephanus Philippus Barnard
1 January 1951 to December 1959Jacobus "Jim" Johannes FouchéAfterwards served as the State President of South Africa, from 1968 to 1975
December 1959 to December 1969Johannes Willem Jacobus Coetzee du Plessis
December 1969 to 13 December 1974Gabriel François van Lingen Froneman-
14 December 1974 to 1979Abraham Cornelis van Wyk
1979 to 1980Cornelius "Nak" van der Merwe
November 1980 to August 1991Louis Johannes Botha
August 1991 to 7 May 1994Louis van der Watt

Transvaal Province

TenurePortraitIncumbentNotes
31 May 1910 to 23 July 1917Johann Friedrich Bernhard Rissik
24 July 1917 to 29 February 1924Alfred George Robertson
1 March 1924 to 28 February 1929Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr
1 March 1929 to 28 February 1934Jacobus Stephanus Smit
1 March 1934 to 29 July 1938Simon Potgieter Bekker
1 September 1938 to 31 August 1948Jacobus Johannes Pienaar
1 November 1948 to 31 October 1958William Nicol
1 November 1958 to 8 February 1966Frans Hendrik Odendaal
12 February 1966 to 15 July 1979Sybrand Gerhardus Johannes van Niekerk
16 July 1979 to 31 May 1988Willem Adriaan Cruywagen
1 June 1988 to 7 May 1994Daniel "Danie" HoughPreviously served as the Administrator-General of South West Africa, from 1980 to 1983