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in the case of his widow, with effect from the day following that upon which she became a widow.

(3) Notwithstanding the repeal by section one hundred and twenty of section ten bis of the South Africa Act, 1909, any pension which but for such repeal would have been payable to any person under the latter section shall continue to be payable as if the repeal had not been effected.

EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT.

16. (1) The executive government of the Republic in regard to any aspect of its domestic or foreign affairs is vested in the State President, acting on the advice of the Executive Council.

(2) Save where otherwise expressly stated or necessarily implied, any reference in this Act to the State President shall be deemed to be a reference to the State President acting on the advice of the Executive Council.

(3) The provisions of sub-sections (1) and (2) of this section shall not be construed to affect the exercise by the State President of his powers under section twenty, in so far as it relates to the appointment of Ministers, or section twenty-five, paragraph (a) of sub-section (1) of section thirty-three or section forty-seven, or the constitutional conventions relating to the exercise of his functions by the State President.

17. The Executive Council shall consist of the Ministers appointed under section twenty for the time being holding office.

18. (1) There shall be a Seal of the Republic, showing the coat of arms of the Republic with the circumscription “Republic of South Africa—Republiek van Suid-Afrika”.

(2) The Seal shall be in the custody of the State President, and shall, save in so far as may otherwise be determined by the State President, be used on all public documents on which the Royal Great Seal or the Royal Signet of the Union of South Africa or the Governor-General’s Great Seal was immediately prior to the commencement of this Act required to be used.

19. (1) The will and pleasure of the State President as head of the executive government of the Republic shall be expressed in writing under his signature, and every instrument signed by him shall be countersigned by a Minister.

(2) The signature of the State President on any instrument shall be confirmed as provided in section eighteen.

20. (1) The State President may appoint persons not exceeding eighteen in number to administer such departments of State of the Republic as the State President may establish.