Chris Heunis
Encyclopedia
Jan Christiaan Heunis was a South African Afrikaner
lawyer, politician, member of the National Party
and former minister in the governments of John Vorster and P.W. Botha.
Chris Heunis was born in 1927 in Uniondale close to The Cape
. After studying in George
, he continued his studies in law and became a lawyer in 1951. At the same time, he pursued a political career and became head of the National Party in George District and a member of the municipal council. In 1959, he was elected to George Provincial Council.
Heunis was elected to parliament in 1970, and in 1974 became Minister of Indian Affairs and Tourism in the government of John Vorster. In 1975, he became Minister of Economic Affairs. In 1979, as part of the P W Botha Government, he participated in the preparation of a new constitution, and in 1982, became Minister of Constitutional Reform. In this role, he put in place the Tricameral Parliament
, gave the right to vote to Indians, and the coloured
in separate chambers of the South African parliament. He convinced the leader of the Coloured Labour Party, Allan Hendrickse
, to agree to this reform.
During this time, he took part in confidential informal interviews in Port Elizabeth between two NP representatives, and two representatives from the ANC
. In September 1986, Heunis was unanimously voted leader of the NP in the Cape Province
, taking over from President P.W. Botha. However, his ascension was halted when he was not elected to the leadership, beaten by 39 votes in Helderberg by the former NP MP and South African ambassador to London, Dennis Worrall.
At the beginning of 1989, he assumed the functions of President for the interim for 100 days when Pieter Botha suffered a cerebral congestion. He was one of the candidates for leadership of the National Party, along with Pik Botha
, Barend du Plessis
and Frederik de Klerk, but was beaten in the second round of elections.
Later, Heunis retired from political life, and did not participate in the elections of 1989, and returned to his law practice in Somerset West with his son Jakkie Heunis. He received an honorary doctorate in philosophy
from the University of Stellenbosch, honorary lieutenant-colonel of the police, honorary citizen of George, decorated with the Grand Cordon of the order of the Republic of China, and was father of four boys and one girl. Chris Heunis died in January 2006 in Somerset West after a long illness.
Afrikaner
Afrikaners are an ethnic group in Southern Africa descended from almost equal numbers of Dutch, French and German settlers whose native tongue is Afrikaans: a Germanic language which derives primarily from 17th century Dutch, and a variety of other languages.-Related ethno-linguistic groups:The...
lawyer, politician, member of the National Party
National Party (South Africa)
The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a...
and former minister in the governments of John Vorster and P.W. Botha.
Chris Heunis was born in 1927 in Uniondale close to The Cape
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
. After studying in George
George, Western Cape
George is a city with 203,253 inhabitants in South Africa's Western Cape province. The city is a popular holiday and conference centre and the administrative and commercial hub of the Garden Route.- Location :...
, he continued his studies in law and became a lawyer in 1951. At the same time, he pursued a political career and became head of the National Party in George District and a member of the municipal council. In 1959, he was elected to George Provincial Council.
Heunis was elected to parliament in 1970, and in 1974 became Minister of Indian Affairs and Tourism in the government of John Vorster. In 1975, he became Minister of Economic Affairs. In 1979, as part of the P W Botha Government, he participated in the preparation of a new constitution, and in 1982, became Minister of Constitutional Reform. In this role, he put in place the Tricameral Parliament
Tricameral Parliament
The Tricameral Parliament was the name given to the South African parliament and its structure from 1984 to 1994, established by the South African Constitution of 1983...
, gave the right to vote to Indians, and the coloured
Coloured
In the South African, Namibian, Zambian, Botswana and Zimbabwean context, the term Coloured refers to an heterogenous ethnic group who possess ancestry from Europe, various Khoisan and Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, West Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaya, India, Mozambique,...
in separate chambers of the South African parliament. He convinced the leader of the Coloured Labour Party, Allan Hendrickse
Allan Hendrickse
Helenard Joe Hendrickse was a South African politician, Congregationalist minister, and teacher. He participated in an act of defiance by swimming at a South African beach reserved for whites only. He was born in Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape and died of a heart attack at Port Elizabeth's airport...
, to agree to this reform.
During this time, he took part in confidential informal interviews in Port Elizabeth between two NP representatives, and two representatives from the ANC
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
. In September 1986, Heunis was unanimously voted leader of the NP in the Cape Province
Cape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...
, taking over from President P.W. Botha. However, his ascension was halted when he was not elected to the leadership, beaten by 39 votes in Helderberg by the former NP MP and South African ambassador to London, Dennis Worrall.
At the beginning of 1989, he assumed the functions of President for the interim for 100 days when Pieter Botha suffered a cerebral congestion. He was one of the candidates for leadership of the National Party, along with Pik Botha
Pik Botha
Roelof Frederik "Pik" Botha is a former South African politician who served as the country's foreign minister in the last years of the apartheid era...
, Barend du Plessis
Barend du Plessis
Barend Jacobus du Plessis, is a South African politician and a former member of the now-dissolved National Party, as well as Minister of Finance in 1984–1992...
and Frederik de Klerk, but was beaten in the second round of elections.
Later, Heunis retired from political life, and did not participate in the elections of 1989, and returned to his law practice in Somerset West with his son Jakkie Heunis. He received an honorary doctorate in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from the University of Stellenbosch, honorary lieutenant-colonel of the police, honorary citizen of George, decorated with the Grand Cordon of the order of the Republic of China, and was father of four boys and one girl. Chris Heunis died in January 2006 in Somerset West after a long illness.