Charles Swart

Charles Robberts Swart (1894 - 1982) was a Politician afrikaner of South Africa, Minister for justice of 1948 with 1959, last general governor of the Union of South Africa of 1959 with 1961 and first president of the Republic of South Africa of 1961 with 1967.

Born the December 5th 1894 in Winburg (free State of Orange), wire of peasants, it passed part of its childhood in the Concentration camps Britannique built at the time of the Guerre of Boers.

In 1914, Swart took part in a riot pro-allemande to protest against the entry of the Union in the war at the sides of the British.

Later, it left to the the United States to study journalism with the Université of Columbia and worked with Hollywood where it held of small roles in films.

Income in South Africa, it launches out in the policy in 1921.

Lawyer of profession, secretary of James Barry Hertzog, he was chief of the national Parti his native province between 1940 and 1959.

In 1948, he is Minister for justice in the new government of Daniel Malan, station which he preserves under the mandate of JG Strijdom of which he becomes the Deputy Prime Minister of 1954 with 1959.

At this post of minister of justice, it worked out the law prohibiting the Communisme.

The sudden death of Strijdom in 1958, it takes over temporarily the duties of the government during a few days as a Deputy Prime Minister.

Partisan convinced of the Apartheid, pigmentocrat and republican, it is named governor-general in 1959 by the new head of government, Hendrik Verwoerd.

Following the Référendum of 1960 by which the white decided to break their last bonds with the British Monarchie, Swart becomes the first president of the Republic of South Africa the May 31st 1961.

Swart discharged this purely honorary function until in 1967, date on which succeeds to him Jozua François Naudé taking over temporarily the duties of Theophilus Donges, patient.

Swart died the July 16th 1982 with Bloemfontein at the 88 years age.

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