Premier Bannon was SA's second longest

Judging by history, holding office in South Australia is no easy feat.

Former Labor premier John Bannon, who died on Sunday, came to office in 1982 as its 39th leader but left, and remains, its second longest.

Spending nine years and 299 days in office, he also remains the longest serving Labor premier, narrowly ahead of Mike Rann on nine years and 230 days and Don Dunstan with nine years and 214 days.

With a record unlikely to be matched, Sir Thomas Playford holds the title of SA's longest serving premier with 26 years and 125 days in office.

But 28 of SA's other premiers served less than three years and nine of those less than one year.

The shortest of those was Vaiben Louis Solomon who spent just seven days in office in 1899.

Current Premier Jay Weatherill has served for just over four years and is the state's 10th longest serving leader.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S LONGEST SERVING PREMIERS:

* Thomas Playford - 26 years, 125 days

* John Bannon - 9 years, 299 days

* Mike Rann - 9 years, 230 days

* Don Dunstan - 9 years, 214 days

* Sir Richard Butler - 8 years, 210 days