Johannes Hendrikus Viljoen

Not to be confused with Johannes Viljoen.

Minister Jan Vijoen

Johannes Hendrikus Viljoen (15 October 1893 – 5 December 1957) was a South African politician, member of parliament for the constituencies of Hoopstad (1933–1941) and Vryburg (1948–1957), Minister of Mines (1950–1953), Education, Arts and Sciences (1950–1957), Social Affairs (1953–1954), Forestry (1954–1956) and Health (1956–1957) in both Daniël François Malan's and Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom's cabinets. ^{[1] [ additional citation(s) needed ]}

Political career

Viljoen was the son of JH (Jan) Viljoen (1869–1955), a veteran of the Second Boer War and of his wife, Lenie Maré.^{[ citation needed ]}

Viljoen was successively a member of the National Party, of the United Party (1934–1941), of the Afrikaner Party (1941–1943) then again of the National Party.^{[ citation needed ]}

After defeating Eben Dönges in the 1938 South African general election,^{[ citation needed ]} J.H. Viljoen was a supporter of South Africa's neutrality at the outbreak of World War II and a staunch supporter of James Barry Munnik Hertzog. ^[1]

Death

Aged 64, while a member of the Strijdom government, he died of a long illness in Pretoria on 5 December 1957 and was buried in Wesselsbron in the Orange Free State. ^{[1] [2]}

References

1. "Johannes H. Viljoen of African Cabinet". The New York Times. 6 December 1957. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
2. "Minister Jan Viljoen, boorling van Wesselsbron". wesselsbron.co.za. Retrieved 16 November 2025.