List of leaders of the TBVC states

This article lists the leaders of the TBVC states, the four Bantustans which were declared nominally independent by the government of the Republic of South Africa during the period of apartheid, which lasted from 1948 to 1994. Their independence was not recognized outside South Africa.

A 1973 CIA map of Bantustans in the Republic of South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia).

The bantustans with nominal independence were namely: Transkei (1976),^[a][1] Bophuthatswana (1977),^[b][2][3] Venda (1979)^[c][4] and Ciskei (1981),^[d][5] hence the abbreviation TBVC.

The TBVC states were reintegrated into South Africa in the wake of the first post-apartheid general election in April 1994.^[6]

Transkei

Leader of Transkei
Coat of arms of Transkei
Flag of Transkei
Incumbent None
Status	Head of state Head of government
Member of	Military Council (1987–1994) (head of government)
Seat	Umtata
Term length	No fixed term
Formation	6 December 1963; 61 years ago (1963-12-06) (head of government) 26 October 1976; 48 years ago (1976-10-26) (head of state)
First holder	Kaiser Matanzima (head of government) Botha Sigcau (head of state)
Final holder	Bantu Holomisa (head of government) Tutor Ndamase (head of state)
Abolished	26 April 1994; 31 years ago (1994-04-26)

Map of Transkei (red) within South Africa.

Heads of state

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political affiliation
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Presidents
1		Botha Sigcau (c. 1913–1978)	26 October 1976	1 December 1978 †[7]	2 years, 36 days		TNIP
–		Zwelibanzi Maneli Mabandla (1906–?) Acting	1 December 1978	20 February 1979	81 days		TNIP
2		Kaiser Matanzima (1915–2003)	20 February 1979[8]	20 February 1986 (Retired)	7 years		TNIP
3		Tutor Ndamase (1921–1997)	20 February 1986	26 April 1994	8 years, 66 days		TNIP
							Independent

Heads of government

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political affiliation
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Chief Minister
1		Kaiser Matanzima (1915–2003)	6 December 1963	26 October 1976	12 years, 325 days		TNIP
Prime Ministers
(1)		Kaiser Matanzima (1915–2003)	26 October 1976	20 February 1979 (Become president)	2 years, 117 days		TNIP
2		George Matanzima (1918–2000)[e]	20 February 1979	24 September 1987 (Resigned)[9]	8 years, 216 days		TNIP
–		Dumnisani Gladstone Gwadiso (born 1952) Acting	25 September 1987	5 October 1987	10 days		TNIP
3		Stella Sigcau (1937–2006)[f]	5 October 1987	30 December 1987 (Deposed)[10][11]	86 days		TNIP
Chairman of the Military Council and of the Council of Ministers
4		Bantu Holomisa (born 1955)	30 December 1987	26 April 1994	6 years, 117 days		Nonpartisan (Military)

Timeline

Foreign ministers

Term	Name
1976–1980	Digby Koyana
1980–1983	G. T. Vika
1983–1986	Mtutuzela Lujabe
1986–1988	Caleb Songca
1988–1989	E. R. G. Keswa
1989–1992	Thembekile Enoch KaTshunungwa
1992–1994	Bantu Holomisa
Source: [12]

Bophuthatswana

Leader of Bophuthatswana
Coat of arms of Bophuthatswana
Flag of Bophuthatswana (1972–1994)
Incumbent None
Status	Head of state Head of government
Seat	Mmabatho (1977–1994) Mafeking (provisionally, until 1977)
Term length	No fixed term
Formation	June 1968; 57 years ago (1968-06)
First holder	Lucas Mangope (Chief Executive Officer of the Tswana Territorial Authority)
Final holder	Lucas Mangope (President)
Abolished	13 March 1994; 31 years ago (1994-03-13)
Superseded by	Administrators of the Transitional Executive Council

Map of Bophuthatswana (red) within South Africa.

Heads of state and government

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political affiliation
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1	Chief Executive Officer of the Tswana Territorial Authority
		Lucas Mangope (1923–2018)	June 1968	1 May 1971	2 years, 11 months		BNP
	Chief Executive Councillor
		Lucas Mangope (1923–2018)	1 May 1971	1 June 1972	1 year, 31 days		BNP
	Chief Minister
		Lucas Mangope (1923–2018)	1 June 1972	6 December 1977	5 years, 188 days		BNP
							BDP (From 1974)
	President
		Lucas Mangope (1923–2018)	6 December 1977	13 March 1994 (Fled)[g]	16 years, 97 days		BDP
—		Rocky Malebane-Metsing (1949–2016)[h]	10 February 1988		Hours		PPP
Administrators (Transitional Executive Council)
		Tjaart van der Walt (1934–2019)	13 March 1994	26 April 1994	44 days
		Job Mokgoro (born 1948)					ANC

Foreign ministers

Term	Name
1977–1987	T. M. Molatlhwa
1987–1990	Solomon L. L. Rathebe
1990–1991	G. S. M. Nkau
1991–1994	Thomas M. Setiloane
Source: [12]

Venda

Leader of Venda
Coat of arms of the Republic of Venda
Flag of Venda (1973–1994)
Incumbent None
Status	Head of state Head of government
Member of	Council of National Unity (1990–1994)
Seat	Thohoyandou (1979–1994) Sibasa (provisionally, until 1979)
Term length	No fixed term
Formation	June 1969; 56 years ago (1969-06)
First holder	Patrick Mphephu (Chief Executive Officer of the Venda Territorial Authority)
Final holder	Tshamano Ramabulana (Head of State [Chairman of the Council of National Unity])
Abolished	26 April 1994; 31 years ago (1994-04-26)

Map of Venda (red) within South Africa.

Heads of state and government

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political affiliation
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1	Chief Executive Officer of the Venda Territorial Authority
		Patrick Mphephu (c. 1924–1988)	June 1969	1 June 1971	2 years		NPV
	Chief Executive Councillor
		Patrick Mphephu (c. 1924–1988)	1 June 1971	1 February 1973	1 year, 245 days		NPV
	Chief Minister
		Patrick Mphephu (c. 1924–1988)	1 February 1973	13 September 1979	6 years, 224 days		NPV
	Presidents
		Patrick Mphephu (c. 1924–1988)	13 September 1979	17 April 1988 †[15]	8 years, 217 days		NPV
2		Frank Ravele (1926–1999)	17 April 1988	10 May 1988	1 year, 353 days		NPV
			10 May 1988	5 April 1990 (Deposed)[16]
Heads of State (Chairmen of the Council of National Unity)
3		Gabriel Ramushwana (1941–2015)	5 April 1990	25 January 1994	3 years, 266 days		Nonpartisan (Military)
4		Tshamano Ramabulana (1940–2020)	25 January 1994	26 April 1994	91 days		Nonpartisan (Military)

Foreign ministers

Term	Name
1979–1980	G. M. Ramabulana
1980–1986	A. M. Madzivhandila
1986–1989	Gota E. R. B. Nesengani
1989–1990	C. A. Nelwamondo
1990–1992	G. M. Ligege
1992–1994	V. S. Landela
1994	Gabriel Ramushwana
Source: [12]

Ciskei

Leader of Ciskei
Coat of arms of Ciskei
Flag of Ciskei
Incumbent None
Status	Head of state Head of government
Member of	Military Committee / Council of State (1990–1994)
Seat	Bisho (1981–1994) Zwelitsha (provisionally, until 1981)
Term length	No fixed term
Formation	June 1968; 57 years ago (1968-06)
First holder	Thandathu Jongilizwe Mabandla (Chief Executive Officer of the Ciskei Territorial Authority)
Final holder	Oupa Gqozo (Chairman of the Military Committee and of the Council of State)
Abolished	22 March 1994; 31 years ago (1994-03-22)
Superseded by	Administrators of the Transitional Executive Council

Map of Ciskei (red) within South Africa.

Heads of state and government

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political affiliation
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1	Chief Executive Officer of the Ciskei Territorial Authority
		Thandathu Jongilizwe Mabandla (1926–2021)	June 1968	1 June 1971	3 years		CNP
	Chief Executive Councillor
		Thandathu Jongilizwe Mabandla (1926–2021)	1 June 1971	1 August 1972	1 year, 61 days		CNP
	Chief Ministers
		Thandathu Jongilizwe Mabandla (1926–2021)	1 August 1972	21 May 1973	293 days		CNP
2		Lennox Sebe (1926–1994)[i]	21 May 1973	June 1975	2 years, 1 month		CNIP
–		Charles Sebe (died 1991) Acting[j]	June 1975[17]	24 October 1975[17]	4 months		Nonpartisan (Military)
(2)		Lennox Sebe (1926–1994)[k]	24 October 1975[17]	4 December 1981	6 years, 41 days		CNIP
	President
		Lennox Sebe (1926–1994)[l]	4 December 1981	4 March 1990 (Deposed)[18]	8 years, 90 days		CNIP
Chairman of the Military Committee and of the Council of State
3		Oupa Gqozo (born 1952)	4 March 1990	22 March 1994 (Resigned)[19]	4 years, 18 days		Nonpartisan (Military)
							ADM (From 1991)
Administrators (Transitional Executive Council)
		Pieter van Rensburg Goosen	23 March 1994	26 April 1994	34 days
		Bongani Blessing Finca (born 1953)

Timeline

Foreign ministers

Term	Name
1981–1983	Ray Mali
1983–1990	B. N. Pityi
1990–1991	M. S. Manzi
1991–1993	Oupa Gqozo
1993	Thamsanqa Linda
1993–1994	Mickey Webb
Source: [12]

See also

• Bantu Authorities Act, 1951
• Promotion of Bantu Self-government Act, 1959
• Bantu Homelands Citizenship Act, 1970
• Bantu Homelands Constitution Act, 1971
• Foreign relations of South Africa during apartheid

Notes

1. The Status of Transkei Act 100 of 1976 granted Transkei "independence" with effect from 26 October 1976.
2. The Status of Bophuthatswana Act 89 of 1977 granted Bophuthatswana "independence" with effect from 6 December 1977.
3. The Status of Venda Act 107 of 1979 granted Venda "independence" with effect from 13 September 1979.
4. The Status of Ciskei Act 110 of 1981 granted Ciskei "independence" with effect from 4 December 1981.
5. Brother of Kaiser Matanzima.
6. Daughter of Botha Sigcau.
7. Forced to flee during the 1994 crisis.^[13]
8. In rebellion staged by members of the military. Coup attempt crushed by the SADF troops.^[14]
9. Gained power in the 1973 election.^[17]
10. Brother of Lennox Sebe.
11. Proclaimed independence following the 1980 referendum.
12. Declared president for life in 1983.