Jan Hendrik Slabbert (born 28 June 1933) is a retired South African politician who served in the National Assembly from 1994 to 2003. He joined the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature after that. He is also a former mayor of Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal.
Jan Slabbert | |
|---|---|
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office May 1994 – March 2003 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 June 1933 Vryheid, Natal Province Union of South Africa |
| Political party | African National Congress (since 2003) |
| Other political affiliations | Peace and Development Party (2003) Inkatha Freedom Party (1987–2003) |
Slabbert entered politics through local government in Vryheid and represented the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in the National Assembly from 1994 to 2003. When the party transferred him to the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature in March 2003, he resigned in protest and formed his own short-lived one-man party, the Peace and Development Party (PDP). Later in 2003, he joined the African National Congress (ANC), and he was elected to two further terms in the provincial legislature under the ANC banner.
Early life and career
editSlabbert was born on 28 June 1933[1] and is from Vryheid.[2] He entered politics through a seventeen-year term in local government, including six years as mayor of his hometown.[3][4] According to Slabbert, he joined the IFP during apartheid in 1987.[5]
National Assembly
editIn the 1994 general election, Slabbert was elected to represent the IFP in the National Assembly.[6] He was re-elected in the 1999 general election.[1] However, in early March 2003, the IFP reshuffled its legislative caucuses and instructed Slabbert to resign from the national Parliament to join the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.[2][7]
Provincial legislature
editIn April 2003, Slabbert announced that he was resigning from the IFP to establish a new party, the PDP. He said that he was leaving because the IFP had moved him to the provincial legislature without consulting him or providing an explanation; he said that he perceived it as "nothing else but public humiliation after what I believe was an honourable and committed career in public life".[5] Slabbert became the sole representative of the PDP, which he said would pursue non-partisan cooperation with both the IFP and its rival, the ANC.[5] In the aftermath of his defection, News24 reported that he had moved out of his home in Vryheid, an IFP stronghold, after receiving a number of intimidating phone calls and death threats.[3]
In October 2003, Slabbert was listed on the ANC's party list for the upcoming 2004 general election, and he announced his resignation the PDP.[8] Standing under the ANC's banner, he was re-elected to his seat in the provincial legislature in 2004[9] and in 2009.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b "General Notice: Notice 1319 of 1999 – Electoral Commission: Representatives Elected to the Various Legislatures" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 408, no. 20203. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 11 June 1999. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ a b Pressly, Donwald (4 March 2003). "Musical chairs for IFP MPs". News24. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ a b Segar, Sue (8 April 2003). "Ex-IFP Slabbert flees home". News24. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ "Defectors swarm to ruling party". The Mail & Guardian. 4 April 2003. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ a b c "SA gets yet another political party". The Mail & Guardian. 2 April 2003. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ South Africa: Campaign and Election Report April 26–29, 1994. International Republican Institute. 1994. Retrieved 13 April 2023 – via Yumpu.
- ^ Segar, Susan (18 March 2003). "IFP disloyalty costs R155 000". News24. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ "Alliance split over election list". The Mail & Guardian. 21 November 2003. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ "General Notice: Notice 717 of 2004 - Electoral Commission – List of Names of Representatives in the National Assembly and the Nine Provincial Legislatures in Respect of the Elections Held on 14 April 2004" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 466, no. 2677. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 20 April 2004. pp. 4–95. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ "KwaZulu-Natal MPLs elected April 22". Politicsweb. 29 April 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2023.