T. E. Dönges

Theophilus Ebenhaezer ('Eben') Dönges (1898-1968) was a South African politician who was elected State President of South Africa but died before he could take office.

Dr Dönges was a senior member of the National Party which ruled South Africa from 1948 to 1994. As Minister of the Interior, from 1948 to 1961, he was one of the so-called "architects of apartheid, introducing race-based population registration, and removing Coloured voters from the common voters' roll as a prelude to disenfranchising them altogether. He was Minister of Finance from 1961 to 1967.

Dönges was elected State President to succeed C.R. Swart on his retirement on June 1 1967, but suffered a stroke and fell into a coma before he could take office. He died in 1968 without regaining consciousness. His deputy Jozua Naudé acted for him until until December 6 1967 when he officially replaced Dönges. He received the posthumous honours granted to a former state president, i.e. a state funeral, and his effigy on the following year's coins.

External links

* [http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/chronology/general/1960s.html]