Johan de Waal
Encyclopedia
Johan Claasen de Waal is a Namibia
n politician. A member of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA), de Waal was a member of the National Assembly of Namibia
from 1994-2010. De Waal was placed third on DTA's electoral list
ahead of the 2009 general election but lost his seat in the National Assembly after DTA received enough votes for 2 legislators. He resigned as chairperson of DTA in March 2010, citing a need to "move on" and make way for a younger generation.
in 1971. In 1976, he was a founding member of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance and Secretary of Information. He was a leading member of the Republican Party of Namibia
, a member of the alliance, until it broke with the DTA in 2003. In that year, de Waal, Barbara Rattay and Pieter Boltman formed the Alliance for Democratic Change, which maintained links with DTA. In March 2005, the DTA re-elected de Waal as party chairperson. While in the National Assembly, de Waal was the party's main spokesperson for trade and financial affairs.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n politician. A member of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA), de Waal was a member of the National Assembly of Namibia
National Assembly of Namibia
The National Assembly of Namibia is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It has a total of 78 members. 72 members are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Six additional members are appointed by the President.The...
from 1994-2010. De Waal was placed third on DTA's electoral list
Electoral list
An electoral list is a grouping of candidates for election to a post, usually in proportional election systems. An electoral list can be registered by a political party or can constitute a group of independent candidates...
ahead of the 2009 general election but lost his seat in the National Assembly after DTA received enough votes for 2 legislators. He resigned as chairperson of DTA in March 2010, citing a need to "move on" and make way for a younger generation.
Career
De Waal was born in September 1949 in South Africa, but moved with his family to Namibia in the same year of his birth. He received a B.Comm. from the University of PretoriaUniversity of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is a multi campus public research university located in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa...
in 1971. In 1976, he was a founding member of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance and Secretary of Information. He was a leading member of the Republican Party of Namibia
Republican Party (Namibia)
The Republican Party was a political party in Namibia, based among the white minority. Henk Mudge is its President and its sole representative in the National Assembly. Prior to the 2004 parliamentary election, the Republican Party was part of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance . It was revived as...
, a member of the alliance, until it broke with the DTA in 2003. In that year, de Waal, Barbara Rattay and Pieter Boltman formed the Alliance for Democratic Change, which maintained links with DTA. In March 2005, the DTA re-elected de Waal as party chairperson. While in the National Assembly, de Waal was the party's main spokesperson for trade and financial affairs.