Jim Fouché

Jacobus Johannes Fouché
DMS
Jacobus Johannes Fouché in 1968
2nd State President of South Africa
In office
10 April 1968 – 9 April 1975
Prime MinisterJohannes Vorster
Preceded byCharles Robberts Swart
Tom Naudé (acting)
Succeeded byJan de Klerk (acting)
Nicolaas Diederichs
Minister of Agricultural Technical Services and Water Affairs
In office
1966–1968
Prime MinisterHendrik Verwoerd
Preceded byPieter Kruger Le Roux
Succeeded byDirk Cornelius Uys
Minister of Defence
In office
14 December 1959 – 1 April 1966
Prime MinisterHendrik Verwoerd
Johannes Vorster
Preceded byFrans Erasmus
Succeeded byPieter Willem Botha
Personal details
Born(1898-06-06)6 June 1898
Wepener, Orange Free State (now Free State, South Africa)
Died23 September 1980(1980-09-23) (aged 82)
Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa
Political partyNational
Spouse
Letta McDonald
​
(m. 1920)​
Children2
NicknameJim

Jacobus Johannes "Jim" Fouché, DMS (6 June 1898 – 23 September 1980[1]), also known as J. J. Fouché, was a South African politician who served as the second state president of South Africa from 1968 to 1975.

Early life

He was born in the Boer republic of the Orange Free State in 1898 (which became a British colony in 1902 and a province of the Union of South Africa in 1910) and matriculated at Paarl Boys' High School.[2]

Education

His higher education was at Victoria College, Stellenbosch and would obtain his Honours degree and a D.Phil at Stellenbosch University in 1966.[2]

Career

Fouché was a successful farmer. A staunch republican, he was a member of the National Party for many years, first being elected to the House of Assembly as MP for Smithfield from 1941 to 1950, and as MP for Bloemfontein West between 1960 and 1968.[2]

Fouché served as Administrator of the Orange Free State from 1950 to 1959, and was then promoted to the Cabinet, where he served as Minister of Defence from 14 December 1959 to 1 April 1966[3] and as Minister of Agricultural Technical Services and Water Affairs from 1966 to 1968.[2] He was elected State President in place of Ebenhaezer Dönges (who had been elected, but died before he could take office), and served as ceremonial head of state from 1968 to 1975.[2] He was the only State President to complete a full term in office.

Family

Fouché married Letta Rhoda ('Lettie') McDonald,[2] a fellow white woman of Anglo-African descent and Scots extraction.

Depiction on coins

He is depicted on the following coins of the South African rand;

1976 1/2 Cent to 50 Cents.

Honours

He was awarded the South African Decoration for Meritorious Services and the Paraguayan National Order of Merit.[2] Fouché was also a honorary colonel of Regiment President Steyn.[2]

References

  1. ^ Jacobus Johannes Fouché. archontology.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h The international year book and statesmen's who's who. 1979 (27th ed.). East Grinstead: Kelly's Directories. 1979. p. 246. ISBN 978-0-610-00520-6.
  3. ^ C.J. Nöthling, E.M. Meyers (1982). "Leaders through the years (1912–1982)". Scientaria Militaria. 12 (2): 92.
Political offices
Preceded by State President of South Africa
1968–1975 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Agricultural and Technical Services and Water Affairs
1966-1968 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Defence (South Africa)
1959–1966 		Succeeded by