The first President of South Africa was Charles Robberts Swart, who served from 1960 to 1967. Swart was the last Governor-General of South Africa and became the first non-royal head of state after the country became a republic in 1961. His presidency coincided with a period marked by the continuation of apartheid, a policy of racial segregation that was deeply entrenched in South African society. Although Swart had limited powers as president, his term laid the groundwork for a future shift in South Africa's political landscape, which eventually led to the end of apartheid and the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994.