Who was the last Apartheid-era president of South Africa before the transition to democracy?

The last Apartheid-era president of South Africa before the transition to democracy was F.W. de Klerk. He served as president from 1989 to 1994 and is notable for his significant role in dismantling apartheid. De Klerk initiated various reforms to end the system of racial segregation and pursued negotiations to transition South Africa toward a democratic government. His efforts included releasing Nelson Mandela from prison and participating in multiparty talks that ultimately led to the first multiracial elections in 1994, which marked the official end of apartheid.

Nelson Mandela, while a pivotal figure in the anti-apartheid movement and the first democratically elected president following the transition, was not president during the apartheid era. P.W. Botha, who preceded de Klerk, was known for his hardline policies, making him a significant figure during the most oppressive years of apartheid. Cyril Ramaphosa, currently the president, played a key role in the negotiations that ended apartheid but became a prominent political leader after the new democratic government was established.