The 1979 South African presidential election pitted the President of the South African Senate Marais Viljoen, backed by the ruling National Party, against the former United Party leader De Villiers Graaff, backed by the New Republic Party, and the Deputy Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand, Guerino Bozzoli, supported by the Progressive Federal Party. In accordance with the South African Constitution of 1961, the State President, a largely ceremonial post, was elected by a joint sitting of both houses of the South African Parliament. Both Bozzoli and Graaff had already been candidates for the presidential election of September 1978.

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1979 South African presidential election

← 1978 19 June 1979 (1979-06-19) 1984 →
Turnout	88.64%
Nominee Marais Viljoen De Villiers Graaff Guerino Bozzoli Party National New Republic Progressive Electoral vote 155 23 17 Percentage 79.49% 11.79% 8.72%
Results of the election. Viljoen (orange) received 155 votes while Graaf received 23 and Bozzoli 17.
State President before election Marais Viljoen (Acting) National Elected State President Marais Viljoen National

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The election, following the resignation of State President and former Prime Minister John Vorster less than a year after his election, was won by Marais Viljoen, who had been Acting State President in his capacity as President of the Senate since June 4. The National Party had nominated Viljoen, rather than Transport Minister Lourens Muller, as its candidate on June 14.^[1] A joint session both houses of parliament voted along party lines on June 19, 1979, after which Viljoen was sworn in 90 minutes after his election.^[2]