The Soil Science Society of South Africa was founded on the 27 th of April 1953 in Pretoria. The founder members were: Dr C R van der Merwe, Prof. JJ Theron, Prof. ER Orchard, Prof. WJ Lütjharms, Dr J van Garderen, Dr CP Naudé, Miss I Sichel, Mr AV Betts, Mr P v.d M Bruwer, Mr GM Ferreira, Mr PA Louw, Mr H Klintworth, Mr G Murray, Mr MS Steyn, Mr FJ Rosenstrauch and Mr DJR van Dyk.
Miss Sichel, who passed away in Pretoria in 2002, was the last surviving SSSSA founder member.
Dr van der Merwe was elected as the first President of the Society. The full list of SSSSA Presidents is:
| 1953-58 | Dr CR van der Merwe | 1958-63 | Prof. JJ Theron |
| 1963-65 | Prof. W J Fölscher | 1965-70 | Dr J van Garderen |
| 1970-73 | Prof. ER Orchard | 1973-75 | Prof. AA Theron |
| 1975-78 | Dr MCF du Plessis | 1978-81 | Prof. JM de Villiers |
| 1981-83 | Prof. R du T Burger | 1983-84 | Dr CN MacVicar |
| 1984-86 | Prof. RO Barnard | 1986-87 | Prof. ATP Bennie |
| 1987-89 | Prof. MC Laker | 1989-90 | Dr DM Scotney |
| 1990-92 | Mr JJN Lambrechts | 1992-94 | Dr AJ van der Merwe |
| 1994-96 | Mr HM du Plessis | 1996-98 | Prof. JH Moolman |
| 1998-99 | Prof. CC du Preez | 1999-2001 | Dr JJ Bornman |
| 2001-03 | Prof. L van Huyssteen | 2003-05 | Dr JF Eloff |
| 2005-07 | Mr DG Paterson | 2007-09 | Dr JE Hoffman |
| 2009-11 | Dr CW van Huyssteen | 2011-13 | Dr DP Turner |
| 2013-15 | Dr PAL le Roux | 2015-17 | Dr R van Antwerpen |
| 2017-19 | Dr JJ Botha | 2019-21 | Mr M du Plessis |
| 2021-23 | Prof JJO Odhiambo | 2023-25 | Prof J van Tol |