According to the constitution of 1871, executive power was vested in the president, who was responsible to the Volksraad.

The president was elected for a term of five years and was eligible for re-election.

The president had to be Burgher and also qualified to vote for the First Volksraad elections, over 30 years old, a member of a Protestant church, and never convicted of a dishonourable offence.

[1] The title before 1866 was Dutch: President van de Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek and after 1866 Dutch: Staatspresident der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek).

The country was referred to as the Transvaal Republic by the British.