Who was the first president of South Africa to be elected under the fully democratic system in 1994?

Nelson Mandela was the first president of South Africa to be elected under the fully democratic system in 1994. His election was a landmark event in the country's history, marking the end of decades of apartheid—a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination. Mandela, a leader of the African National Congress (ANC), played a crucial role in the anti-apartheid movement and spent 27 years in prison due to his activism.

The 1994 elections were the first in which all South Africans, regardless of race, were allowed to vote. Mandela's leadership symbolized hope and reconciliation for a nation that had been deeply divided. His presidency focused on nation-building and addressing the inequalities created by apartheid, setting the foundation for a new South Africa.

Other figures mentioned, while significant in their own right, did not serve as the first fully elected president under this democratic framework. Thabo Mbeki succeeded Mandela as president, Desmond Tutu is renowned for his role as an anti-apartheid activist and as an archbishop, and F.W. de Klerk was the last State President of apartheid-era South Africa who played a role in the transition but did not lead in a fully democratic context.