Ferdinand Hartzenberg
Encyclopedia
Ferdinand Hartzenberg is a South Africa
n politician and was the second and last leader of the Conservative Party
in South Africa between 1993 and its merger with the Freedom Front in 2004.
Originally a mielie
farmer from Lichtenburg in the Transvaal
, Hartzenberg was Minister of Education from 1979 to 1982 in the government of PW Botha
. He was then one of the more reactionary members of the ruling National Party
(NP). Together with Andries Treurnicht
and other NP members dissatisfied with what they saw as increasing 'liberalism' in the ruling NP, he left the NP in 1982 to found the right wing Conservative Party (CP). Hartzenberg became deputy leader.
Hartzenberg became leader of the CP after Treurnicht's death April 1993. This made him head of the official opposition in the white chamber of the South African Parliament, a position he held until the first multi-racial elections in April 1994.
The Conservative Party refused to take part in the general election of 1994 and thus lost any parliamentary representation. Without any national representation, the CP became marginalised, with the white right wing represented in parliament by Constand Viljoen
of the Freedom Front. At the end of 2003, the CP merged with the Freedom Front and the Afrikaner Eenheids Beweging to form a new party known as the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) which obtained 4 seats in the general election of 2004.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n politician and was the second and last leader of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (South Africa)
The Conservative Party of South Africa was a conservative party formed in 1982 as a breakaway from the ruling National Party...
in South Africa between 1993 and its merger with the Freedom Front in 2004.
Originally a mielie
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
farmer from Lichtenburg in the Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
, Hartzenberg was Minister of Education from 1979 to 1982 in the government of PW Botha
Pieter Willem Botha
Pieter Willem Botha , commonly known as "P. W." and Die Groot Krokodil , was the prime minister of South Africa from 1978 to 1984 and the first executive state president from 1984 to 1989.First elected to Parliament in 1948, Botha was for eleven years head of the Afrikaner National Party and the...
. He was then one of the more reactionary members of the ruling 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...
(NP). Together with Andries Treurnicht
Andries Treurnicht
Andries Petrus Treurnicht was a South African politician, Minister of Education during the Soweto Riots and for a short time leader of the National Party in Transvaal...
and other NP members dissatisfied with what they saw as increasing 'liberalism' in the ruling NP, he left the NP in 1982 to found the right wing Conservative Party (CP). Hartzenberg became deputy leader.
Hartzenberg became leader of the CP after Treurnicht's death April 1993. This made him head of the official opposition in the white chamber of the South African Parliament, a position he held until the first multi-racial elections in April 1994.
The Conservative Party refused to take part in the general election of 1994 and thus lost any parliamentary representation. Without any national representation, the CP became marginalised, with the white right wing represented in parliament by Constand Viljoen
Constand Viljoen
General Constand Viljoen SSA SD SOE SM is a former South African military commander and politician. He is partly credited with preventing the outbreak of armed violence by disaffected Afrikaners prior to the 1994 elections.-Military service:Viljoen received a degree in military science in 1955...
of the Freedom Front. At the end of 2003, the CP merged with the Freedom Front and the Afrikaner Eenheids Beweging to form a new party known as the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) which obtained 4 seats in the general election of 2004.