Nico Diederichs

Nicolaas Johannes "Nico" Diederichs (17 November 1903, Ladybrand[1] – 21 August 1978) served as the third State President of South Africa from 1975 to 1978.[2]

Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs
3rd State President of South Africa
In office 19 April 1975 – 21 August 1978
Prime Minister	B. J. Vorster
Preceded by	Jacobus Johannes Fouché
Succeeded by	B. J. Vorster
Minister of Finance
In office 1967–1975
Preceded by	Eben Dönges
Succeeded by	Owen Horwood
Personal details
Born	(1903-11-17)17 November 1903 Ladybrand, South Africa
Died	21 August 1978(1978-08-21) (aged 74) Cape Town, South Africa
Citizenship	South African
Political party	National Party
Spouse(s)	Marga Potgieter (1907-1998)
Children	4
Alma mater	University of Munich University of Cologne Leiden University
Nickname(s)	Nico

An economist, Diederichs obtained a doctorate from the University of Leiden.[1] During the 1930s and 1940s he became a prominent figure in Afrikaner nationalist circles. He founded the Reddingsdaadbond organisation to promote the economic wellbeing of Afrikaners.

Diederichs was a National Party member of Parliament from 1953 to 1975. He served as Minister of Economic Affairs from 1958 to 1967, as Minister of Mines from 1961 to 1964, and as Minister of Finance from 1967 to 1975. In the latter capacity he became known as "Mr Gold." He served as the first chancellor of the Rand Afrikaans University and ceremonial State President from 1975 until his death, after a short illness, of a heart attack on 21 August 1978 in Cape Town.