Frederik van Zyl Slabbert
Encyclopedia
Frederik van Zyl Slabbert (March 2, 1940 – May 14, 2010) was a South Africa
n political analyst, businessman and politician. He is best known for having been the leader of the official opposition — the Progressive Federal Party
(PFP) — in the House of Assembly
from 1979 to 1986.
to an Afrikaner
family, Slabbert grew up in Pietersburg (now 'Polokwane') in northern Transvaal (now the Limpopo Province of South Africa). He matriculated from the Pietersburg Afrikaans
High School in 1958.
After graduating from high school van Zyl Slabbert studied theology at the University of Stellenbosch for 18 months before deciding that sociology
was his calling. He completed a BA Honours at the university, and a doctorate
in 1967.
After completing his studies he worked as a sociology
lecturer at Stellenbosch University, Rhodes University
, the University of Cape Town
. In 1973, he was appointed head of the sociology
department of the University of the Witwatersrand
.
.
In the 1974 South African general election
, Slabbert stood as a parliamentary candidate for the constituency of Rondebosch
on behalf of the Progressive Party
(PP). Although he was not expected to win the seat, he beat the United Party
(UP) candidate by 1,600 votes. Van Zyl Slabbbert defended and retained this seat in the parliamentary elections of 1979 and 1981
.
Van Zyl Slabbert rose through the ranks of the PP and came to play an important role in the development of the party's ideology, particularly as the chairman of its Constitutional Committee. Using his influence, he helped to position the PP and its later incarnations as a liberal movement which advocated the creation of a non-racial democracy in South Africa
. A respect for individual liberty became a cornerstone of the PP because of the work of van Zyl Slabbert and others.
In 1979, he became leader of the Progressive Federal Party
(PFP), a grouping formed after the PP merged with various other liberal elements, most notably Harry Schwarz
's Reform Party
. The PFP
fared well in the elections of 1979 and 1981
, and van Zyl Slabbert thus served as leader of the opposition for 12 years.
In 1986, van Zyl Slabbert resigned from his position as leader of the opposition because he felt that Parliament was becoming an irrelevant institution in the context of South Africa's political problems. He published a book at this time entitled The Last White Parliament in which he explained his actions, and his predictions for the future of South Africa
.
Following his resignation, van Zyl Slabbert and Alex Borraine, a fellow PFP
MP, formed the progressive think tank IDASA (Institute for Democracy in Africa). As head of IDASA, van Zyl Slabbert played a leading role in initiating dialgoue between white South Africans and the African National Congress
(ANC). His efforts led to the Dakar conference of 1987, which took place between the anti-apartheid movement and leading (mainly Afrikaner
) politicians, academics and businessmen in Senegal
. This conference represented the first step towards dismantling apartheid and informed subsequent negotiations (CODESA) which changed the course of South Africa's history.
Van Zyl Slabbert also worked as regional facilitator for the George Soros
-backed funding organisation, the Open Society Foundation of Southern Africa, which identifies and invests in worthy projects in nine Africa
n countries.
In addition, he co-founded Khula—a black investment trust—in 1990. Van Zyl Slabbert was appointed as chairman of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) listed Adcorp Holdings in 1998 and also sat on the boards of several other JSE-listed companies such as Wooltru, Investec and Radiospoor.
on 1 August, 2008, but he suffered a heart attack at the end of the same year, an event that led to him having a pacemaker
inserted. He resigned from the post for health reasons in September 2009.
In early May 2010, Van Zyl Slabbert was discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for a liver related illness. He died at home on 14 May 2010. Van Zyl Slabbert was survived by his wife Jane and two children from his first marriage—Tania and Riko.
paid tribute to Van Zyl Slabbert for the role he played in ending apartheid.
In 2004, Van Zyl Slabbert was voted 82nd in the Top 100 Great South Africans
.
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 political analyst, businessman and politician. He is best known for having been the leader of the official opposition — the Progressive Federal Party
Progressive Federal Party
The Progressive Federal Party was a South African political party formed in 1977. It advocated power-sharing in South Africa through a federal constitution, in place of apartheid...
(PFP) — in the House of Assembly
House of Assembly of South Africa
The House of Assembly was the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa from 1910 to 1984, and latterly the white representative house of the Tricameral Parliament from 1984 to 1994, when it was replaced by the current National Assembly...
from 1979 to 1986.
Early life, education and academic career
Born in PretoriaPretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
to an Afrikaner
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...
family, Slabbert grew up in Pietersburg (now 'Polokwane') in northern Transvaal (now the Limpopo Province of South Africa). He matriculated from the Pietersburg Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
High School in 1958.
After graduating from high school van Zyl Slabbert studied theology at the University of Stellenbosch for 18 months before deciding that sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
was his calling. He completed a BA Honours at the university, and a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in 1967.
After completing his studies he worked as a sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
lecturer at Stellenbosch University, Rhodes University
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public research university located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, established in 1904. It is the province’s oldest university, and is one of the four universities in the province...
, the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
. In 1973, he was appointed head of the sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
department of the University of the Witwatersrand
University of the Witwatersrand
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg is a South African university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University...
.
Political career
During his academic studies, van Zyl Slabbert developed an active interest in politics, which led him to reject apartheid and to stand for a seat on Stellenbosch University's Students' Representative Council. He lost the election as he was considered to be too liberalLiberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
.
In the 1974 South African general election
South African general election, 1974
The 1974 South African general election, held on 24 April, was called one year earlier than scheduled by Prime Minister John Vorster on 4 February. The House of Assembly was increased from 166 to 171 members. The Progressive Party made a major advance. In addition to Helen Suzman, re-elected for...
, Slabbert stood as a parliamentary candidate for the constituency of Rondebosch
Rondebosch
Rondebosch is one of the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa. It is primarily a residential suburb, with a medium-size shopping area, a small business district as well as the main campus of the University of Cape Town.-History:...
on behalf of the Progressive Party
Progressive Party (South Africa)
The Progressive Party was a liberal party in South Africa that opposed the ruling National Party's policies of apartheid, and championed the Rule of Law. For years its only member of parliament was Helen Suzman...
(PP). Although he was not expected to win the seat, he beat the United Party
United Party (South Africa)
The United Party was South Africa's ruling political party between 1934 and 1948. It was formed by a merger of most of Prime Minister Barry Hertzog's National Party with the rival South African Party of Jan Smuts, plus the remnants of the Unionist Party...
(UP) candidate by 1,600 votes. Van Zyl Slabbbert defended and retained this seat in the parliamentary elections of 1979 and 1981
South African general election, 1981
During the 1981 South African general election, the National Party achieved another landslide victory, winning 131 of 165 seats in the House of Assembly, which had become the sole legislative chamber following the abolition of the Senate that year...
.
Van Zyl Slabbert rose through the ranks of the PP and came to play an important role in the development of the party's ideology, particularly as the chairman of its Constitutional Committee. Using his influence, he helped to position the PP and its later incarnations as a liberal movement which advocated the creation of a non-racial democracy in South Africa
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...
. A respect for individual liberty became a cornerstone of the PP because of the work of van Zyl Slabbert and others.
In 1979, he became leader of the Progressive Federal Party
Progressive Federal Party
The Progressive Federal Party was a South African political party formed in 1977. It advocated power-sharing in South Africa through a federal constitution, in place of apartheid...
(PFP), a grouping formed after the PP merged with various other liberal elements, most notably Harry Schwarz
Harry Schwarz
Harry Heinz Schwarz was a South African lawyer, statesman and long-time political opposition leader against apartheid, who eventually served as the South African ambassador to the United States during the country’s transition to representative democracy.Schwarz rose from the childhood poverty he...
's Reform Party
Reform Party (South Africa)
The Reform Party was an anti-apartheid political party that existed for just five months in 1975 and is one of the predecessor parties to the Democratic Alliance...
. The PFP
Progressive Federal Party
The Progressive Federal Party was a South African political party formed in 1977. It advocated power-sharing in South Africa through a federal constitution, in place of apartheid...
fared well in the elections of 1979 and 1981
South African general election, 1981
During the 1981 South African general election, the National Party achieved another landslide victory, winning 131 of 165 seats in the House of Assembly, which had become the sole legislative chamber following the abolition of the Senate that year...
, and van Zyl Slabbert thus served as leader of the opposition for 12 years.
In 1986, van Zyl Slabbert resigned from his position as leader of the opposition because he felt that Parliament was becoming an irrelevant institution in the context of South Africa's political problems. He published a book at this time entitled The Last White Parliament in which he explained his actions, and his predictions for the future of South Africa
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...
.
Following his resignation, van Zyl Slabbert and Alex Borraine, a fellow PFP
Progressive Federal Party
The Progressive Federal Party was a South African political party formed in 1977. It advocated power-sharing in South Africa through a federal constitution, in place of apartheid...
MP, formed the progressive think tank IDASA (Institute for Democracy in Africa). As head of IDASA, van Zyl Slabbert played a leading role in initiating dialgoue between white South Africans and the African National Congress
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...
(ANC). His efforts led to the Dakar conference of 1987, which took place between the anti-apartheid movement and leading (mainly Afrikaner
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...
) politicians, academics and businessmen in Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
. This conference represented the first step towards dismantling apartheid and informed subsequent negotiations (CODESA) which changed the course of South Africa's history.
Business career
From the 1990s until his death, van Zyl Slabbert was a successful entrepreneur and businessperson.Van Zyl Slabbert also worked as regional facilitator for the George Soros
George Soros
George Soros is a Hungarian-American business magnate, investor, philosopher, and philanthropist. He is the chairman of Soros Fund Management. Soros supports progressive-liberal causes...
-backed funding organisation, the Open Society Foundation of Southern Africa, which identifies and invests in worthy projects in nine Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n countries.
In addition, he co-founded Khula—a black investment trust—in 1990. Van Zyl Slabbert was appointed as chairman of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) listed Adcorp Holdings in 1998 and also sat on the boards of several other JSE-listed companies such as Wooltru, Investec and Radiospoor.
Final years
Van Zyl Slabbert was appointed as the 13th chancellor of Stellenbosch UniversityStellenbosch 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....
on 1 August, 2008, but he suffered a heart attack at the end of the same year, an event that led to him having a pacemaker
Pacemaker
An artificial pacemaker is a medical device that uses electrical impulses to regulate the beating of the heart.Pacemaker may also refer to:-Medicine:...
inserted. He resigned from the post for health reasons in September 2009.
In early May 2010, Van Zyl Slabbert was discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for a liver related illness. He died at home on 14 May 2010. Van Zyl Slabbert was survived by his wife Jane and two children from his first marriage—Tania and Riko.
Legacy
Many public figures in South AfricaSouth 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...
paid tribute to Van Zyl Slabbert for the role he played in ending apartheid.
In 2004, Van Zyl Slabbert was voted 82nd in the Top 100 Great South Africans
SABC3's Great South Africans
Great South Africans was a South African television series that aired on SABC3 and hosted by Noeleen Maholwana Sangqu and Denis Beckett. In September 2004, thousands of South Africans took part in an informal nationwide poll to determine the "100 Greatest South Africans" of all time...
.
Works
- South Africa's Options: Strategies for Sharing with David Welsh. London: Rex Collings (1979). ISBN 0-86036-116-0
- The Last White Parliament: The Struggle for South Africa, by the Leader of the White Opposition. Sidgwick & Jackson (1986). ISBN 0-283-99349-9
- Comrades in Business: Post-Liberation Politics in South Africa with Heribert Adam and Kogila Moodley. Cape Town: Tafelberg Publishers (1998). ISBN 0-624-03601-4
- Tough Choices: Reflections of an Afrikaner African. Cape Town: Tafelberg Publishers (2000). ISBN 0-624-03880-7
- The Other Side of History: An Anecdotal Reflection on Political Transition in South Africa. Johannesburg & Cape Town: Jonathan Ball Publishers (2006). ISBN 1-86842-250-X (Also in Afrikaans as Duskant die geskiedenis, ISBN 0-624-04357-6.)
As editor
- Youth in the New South Africa: Towards Policy Formulation – Main Report of the Co-Operative Research Programme: South African Youth.