Johannes de Klerk
Encyclopedia
Johannes de Klerk was a South African politician, a member of the National Party
, Senator (1955–1975), Minister of Work and Public Works (1954–1958), Work and Mines (1958–1961), Home Affairs
, Work and Immigration (1961), Home Affairs, Education and Arts and Sciences (1961–1966), Education, Arts and Sciences and Information (1966–1967) and National Education (1968–1969). He was also President of the Senate from 1969 to 1976. Subsequent to this, he served as interim
State President for nine days following the retirement of Jacobus Johannes Fouché
in 1975.
. He spent his childhood in Potchefstroom, in South-West Transvaal
. Graduating from Potchefstroom University (1926) where he was the President of the Student Union, he married Hendrina Cornelia Coutzer on 27 April 1927, and had two sons, Willem Johannes and Frederick Willem de Klerk, future president of South Africa.
From 1927 to 1945, Jan de Klerk worked in Nylstroom and Witwatersrand
. He was headteacher of a school, and secretary of a white workers' trade union. In January 1947, he became administrative secretary of the National Party for the Rand region and in 1948, chief secretary of the NP of Transvaal. From 1949 to 1955, he was a member of the provincial council of Transvaal.
In 1954, Jan de Klerk was named senator and Minister of Work and Public Works in the government of his brother-in-law, Prime Minister JG Strijdom. This nomination provoked controversy due to the relationship between the two men.
He was a minister in the following governments of Hendrik Verwoerd and John Vorster until 1969, he successively dealt with mines, home affairs, immigration, and education. While Minister of Education, he helped found the Afrikaans University of Rand (RAU) and the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE), while also chancellor of the University of Potchefstroom. He was twice approached to be honorary president of the republic in 1967 and 1968.
From 1969 to 1976, he presided over the upper house
of the South African parliament, and this meant that he was briefly interim President of South Africa in 1975. He retired from political life, and died in Krugersdorp on 24 January 1979.
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...
, Senator (1955–1975), Minister of Work and Public Works (1954–1958), Work and Mines (1958–1961), Home Affairs
Minister of Home Affairs (South Africa)
The Minister of Home Affairs is the minister in the Cabinet of South Africa with responsibility for the Department of Home Affairs. The position includes responsibility for immigration, refugee and asylum policy, for the civil registry, and for the issuing of identity documents and passports.-List...
, Work and Immigration (1961), Home Affairs, Education and Arts and Sciences (1961–1966), Education, Arts and Sciences and Information (1966–1967) and National Education (1968–1969). He was also President of the Senate from 1969 to 1976. Subsequent to this, he served as interim
Interim
Interim is an album by British rock band The Fall, compiled from live and studio material and released in 2004. It features the first officially released versions of "Clasp Hands", "Blindness" and "What About Us?" — all of which were later included on the band's next studio album Fall Heads Roll —...
State President for nine days following the retirement of Jacobus Johannes Fouché
Jacobus Johannes Fouché
Jacobus Johannes Fouché served as the second President of South Africa from 1968 to 1975.Born in the Boer republic of the Orange Free State , Fouché was a successful farmer...
in 1975.
Biography
Son of Reverend Willem de Klerk and his wife Aletta Johannes van Rooy, Jan de Klerk was born 22 July 1903 in BurgersdorpBurgersdorp
Burgersdorp is a small town in the Ukhahlamba District Municipality of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.The Afrikaner Bond political party was founded in Burgersdorp in 1881.-Rail:The first rail connection to Burgersdorp was opened on 19 March 1885...
. He spent his childhood in Potchefstroom, in South-West 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:...
. Graduating from Potchefstroom University (1926) where he was the President of the Student Union, he married Hendrina Cornelia Coutzer on 27 April 1927, and had two sons, Willem Johannes and Frederick Willem de Klerk, future president of South Africa.
From 1927 to 1945, Jan de Klerk worked in Nylstroom and Witwatersrand
Witwatersrand
The Witwatersrand is a low, sedimentary range of hills, at an elevation of 1700–1800 metres above sea-level, which runs in an east-west direction through Gauteng in South Africa. The word in Afrikaans means "the ridge of white waters". Geologically it is complex, but the principal formations...
. He was headteacher of a school, and secretary of a white workers' trade union. In January 1947, he became administrative secretary of the National Party for the Rand region and in 1948, chief secretary of the NP of Transvaal. From 1949 to 1955, he was a member of the provincial council of Transvaal.
In 1954, Jan de Klerk was named senator and Minister of Work and Public Works in the government of his brother-in-law, Prime Minister JG Strijdom. This nomination provoked controversy due to the relationship between the two men.
He was a minister in the following governments of Hendrik Verwoerd and John Vorster until 1969, he successively dealt with mines, home affairs, immigration, and education. While Minister of Education, he helped found the Afrikaans University of Rand (RAU) and the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE), while also chancellor of the University of Potchefstroom. He was twice approached to be honorary president of the republic in 1967 and 1968.
From 1969 to 1976, he presided over the upper house
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
of the South African parliament, and this meant that he was briefly interim President of South Africa in 1975. He retired from political life, and died in Krugersdorp on 24 January 1979.