Dene Smuts is a South African politician, currently a Member of Parliament

Parliament of South Africa

The Parliament of South Africa is South Africa's legislature and under the country's current Constitution is composed of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces....

 with the Democratic Alliance, and the Shadow Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development.

Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (South Africa)

South Africa's Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet consists of Members of the National Assembly who scrutinise their corresponding office holders in the executive branch of government and develop alternative policies for their respective portfolios...

Early life

Smuts was born and raised in the Free State, South Africa and attended Oranje Meisieskool.

After high school, she continued her academic journey graduating from Stellenbosch University

Stellenbosch University

Stellenbosch University is a public research university situated in the town of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Other nearby universities are the University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape....

 with a BA Hons degree.

Dene was editor of Fair Lady magazine, managing editor of Leadership, and was a prize-winning author.

Political career

Smuts was Broadcasting and Telecoms spokespersonships for both the Democratic Party

Democratic Party (South Africa)

The Democratic Party was the name of the South African political party now called the Democratic Alliance . Although the Democratic Party name dates from 1989, the party existed under other labels throughout the Apartheid years, when it was the Parliamentary opposition to the ruling National...

 (DP) and Democratic Alliance (DA) from 1994 and 1996 respectively and continues to specialise in free speech issues

Smuts launched her political career in 1989 when she was elected MP for the Groote Schuur

Groote Schuur

Groote Schuur is an estate in Cape Town, South Africa.Cecil Rhodes took out a lease on the house in 1891. He later bought it in 1893, and had it converted and refurbished by the architect Sir Herbert Baker...

 constituency, and on 6 September that year, she participated in the great Peace March in Cape Town, a seminal date in that in coincided with her swearing in as an MP.

Smuts served as a constitutional negotiator for the DP during the transition from Apartheid to democracy. The process started with President FW de Klerk's 1990 Opening of Parliament speech. Smuts participated from that day until its conclusion in 1996 specialising in the drafting of the Bill of Rights for the Final Constitution.

She also served as the DP spokesperson on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was a court-like restorative justice body assembled in South Africa after the abolition of apartheid. Witnesses who were identified as victims of gross human rights violations were invited to give statements about their experiences, and some were selected...

, the Constitutionand human rights.

In 1992, Smuts became South Africa’s first female whip in Parliament and served as DP party chairperson from 1994 to 1997.

Dene serves the DA as Shadow Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development.

Offices held