Leader of the Opposition (South Africa)

Last updated

Leader of the Opposition of the Republic of South Africa
List
  • 10 other official names:
  • Leier van die Opposisie (Afrikaans)
  • umRholi weHlangano ePhikisako (Southern Ndebele)
  • INkokeli yeQela eliPhikisayo (Xhosa)
  • UMholi weQembu Eliphikisayo (Zulu)
  • Umholi Welicembu Leliphikisako (Swazi)
  • Moetapele wa Lekgotlakgolo la Kganetšo (Northern Sotho)
  • Moetapele wa Mokga wa Kganyetso (Sotho)
  • Moeteledi wa Kganetso (Tswana)
  • Murhangeri wa Vukaneti (Tsonga)
  • Murangaphanḓa wa Ḽihoro Ḽihanedzi (Venda)
John Hlophe on EFF podcast.jpg
Incumbent
John Hlophe
since 25 June 2024
Style The Honourable
Term length While leader of the largest political party in the National Assembly that is not in government
Inaugural holder Leander Starr Jameson
Formation15 September 1910

The Leader of the Opposition in South Africa is the leader of the largest political party in the National Assembly that is not in government. The House of Assembly was the most important House from 1910 to 1994 and the National Assembly from 1994. The leader of the opposition acts as the public face of the opposition, leading the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet and the challenge to the government on the floor of Parliament. They thus act as a chief critic of the government and ultimately attempt to portray the opposition as a feasible alternate government.

Contents

The position of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly is currently held by John Hlophe of the uMkhonto weSizwe, who was appointed on 25 June 2024. [1]

In the list below, when the office is said to be vacant, there was no opposition party with more than ten seats and no clear Leader of the Opposition has been identified. This was the case between the formation of the Hertzog–Smuts coalition in 1933 and the breakaway of the Purified National Party in 1934. It was also the case during the Government of National Unity between 1994 and 1996, when the National Party withdrew. [2]

In the case of the Democratic Alliance, the Leader of the Opposition may have been the Parliamentary leader only, during a vacancy in the party leadership and the first part of their own tenure, before being confirmed as party leader by a party congress. Athol Trollip and Lindiwe Mazibuko (and Mmusi Maimane for a short period) have been Parliamentary leaders only, whilst the incumbent Federal Leader of the Democratic Alliance, Helen Zille, was not a member of Parliament.

Section 56 of the South Africa Act 1909, was amended by Section 1 (b) of the South Africa Act Amendment Act 1946. A salary was provided for the Leader of the Opposition and the office was given an official definition.

"For the purposes of this section the expression 'Leader of the Opposition' shall mean that member of the House of Assembly who is for the time being the Leader in that House of the party in opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength in that House and if there is any doubt as to which is or was at any material time the party in opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength in that House of Assembly, or as to who is or was at any material time the Leader in the House of such a party, the question shall be decided for the purposes of this section by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, and his decision, certified in writing under his hand, shall be final and conclusive". [3]

The current Constitution of South Africa makes provision for recognition of the Leader of the Opposition in Section 57(2):

"The rules and orders of the National Assembly must provide for … the recognition of the leader of the largest opposition party in the Assembly as the Leader of the Opposition."

Rule 21 of the rules of the National Assembly provides in similar words that:

"The leader of the largest opposition party in the Assembly must be recognised as the Leader of the Opposition." [4]

List of leaders of the opposition in South Africa (1910–present)

No.PortraitLeader
(Birth–Death)
Political partyTerm of office
1 SirLeanderStarrJameson.jpg Leander Starr Jameson
(1853–1917)
Unionist Party 1910–1912 [5]
2 SirThomasSmartt.jpg Thomas Smartt
(1858–1929)
Unionist Party 1912–1920 [6]
3 JBM Hertzog - SA (cropped).jpg James Barry Munnik Hertzog
(1866–1942)
National Party 1920–1924
4 Genl JC Smuts (cropped).jpg Jan Christiaan Smuts
(1870–1950)
South African Party 1924–1933
vacant [lower-alpha 1] 1933–1934
Walter Madeley (cropped).jpg Walter Madeley
(1873–1947)
Labour Party
5 DFMalanPortret (cropped).jpg Daniël François Malan
(1874–1959)
Purified National Party 1934–1940
(3) JBM Hertzog - SA (cropped).jpg James Barry Munnik Hertzog
(1866–1942)
Reunited National Party 1940
(5) DFMalanPortret (cropped).jpg Daniël François Malan
(1874–1959)
Reunited National Party 1940–1948
(4) Genl JC Smuts (cropped).jpg Jan Christiaan Smuts
(1870–1950)
United Party 1948–1950
6 KoosStrauss (cropped).jpg Jacobus Gideon Nel Strauss
(1900–1990)
United Party 1950–1956
7 Sir De Villiers Graaff 1960.jpg Sir De Villiers Graaff
(1913–1999)
United Party 1956–1977
8 No image.png Radclyffe Cadman
(1924–2011)
New Republic Party 1977
9 Colin Eglin (cropped).jpg Colin Eglin
(1925–2013)
Progressive Federal Party 1977–1979
10 No image.png Frederik van Zyl Slabbert
(1940–2010)
Progressive Federal Party 1979–1986
(9) Colin Eglin (cropped).jpg Colin Eglin
(1925–2013)
Progressive Federal Party 1986–1987
11 Dr Andries Treurnicht as studenteleraar van die NG gemeente Rondebosch.jpg Andries Treurnicht
(1921–1993)
Conservative Party 1987–1993
12 F Hartzenberg 1995.jpg Ferdi Hartzenberg
(1936–2021)
Conservative Party 1993–1994
vacant [lower-alpha 2] 1994–1996
Constand Viljoen 1984.jpg Constand Viljoen
(1933–2020)
Freedom Front Plus
13 Frederik Willem de Klerk, 1990.jpg Frederik Willem de Klerk
(1936–2021)
National Party 1996–1997
14 Marthinus van Schalkwyk crop.jpg Marthinus van Schalkwyk
(born 1959)
New National Party 1997–1999
15 TonyLeon.jpg Tony Leon
(born 1956)
Democratic Party
(until 2000)
1999–2007
Democratic Alliance
(from 2000)
16 No image.png Sandra Botha
(born 1945)
Democratic Alliance 2007–2009
17 Athol Trollip DA MP.jpg Athol Trollip
(born 1964)
Democratic Alliance 2009–2011
18 Lindiwe Masibuko DA MP (cropped).jpg Lindiwe Mazibuko
(born 1980)
Democratic Alliance 2011–2014
19 Mmusi Maimane (cropped).jpg Mmusi Maimane
(born 1980)
Democratic Alliance 2014–2019
Annelie Lotriet.jpg Annelie Lotriet
(born 1960)
Acting
Democratic Alliance 2019
20 John Steenhuisen 2024.jpg John Steenhuisen
(born 1976)
Democratic Alliance 2019–2024
21 John Hlophe on EFF podcast.jpg John Hlophe
(born 1959)
uMkhonto we Sizwe 2024–present
Notes
  1. During this interval, Walter Madeley of the Labour Party served as de facto leader of the opposition, being leader of the largest party outside government coalition.
  2. During this interval, Constand Viljoen of the Freedom Front Plus served as de facto leader of the opposition, being leader of the largest party outside government coalition.

Timeline

John HlopheJohn SteenhuisenAnnelie LotrietMmusi MaimaneLindiwe MazibukoAthol TrollipSandra BothaTony LeonMarthinus van SchalkwykF. W. de KlerkConstand ViljoenFerdi HartzenbergAndries TreurnichtFrederik van Zyl SlabbertColin EglinRadclyffe CadmanDe Villiers GraaffJacobus Gideon Nel StraussD. F. MalanWalter MadeleyJan SmutsJ. B. M. HertzogThomas SmarttLeander Starr JamesonLeader of the Opposition (South Africa)

Related Research Articles

The Republic of South Africa is a unitary parliamentary democratic republic. The President of South Africa serves both as head of state and as head of government. The President is elected by the National Assembly and must retain the confidence of the Assembly in order to remain in office. South Africans also elect provincial legislatures which govern each of the country's nine provinces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Ireland Act 1920</span> UK act of Parliament of 1920

The Government of Ireland Act 1920 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act's long title was "An Act to provide for the better government of Ireland"; it is also known as the Fourth Home Rule Bill or (inaccurately) as the Fourth Home Rule Act and informally known as the Partition Act. The Act was intended to partition Ireland into two self-governing polities: the six north-eastern counties were to form "Northern Ireland", while the larger part of the country was to form "Southern Ireland". Both territories were to remain part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and provision was made for their future reunification through a Council of Ireland. The Act was passed by the British Parliament in November 1920, received royal assent in December and came into force on 3 May 1921.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of South Africa</span> South Africas head of state and head of government

The president of South Africa is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of South Africa. The president directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander-in-chief of the South African National Defence Force. Between 1961 and 1994, the office of head of state was the state presidency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament of South Africa</span> Legislative body of South Africa

The Parliament of the Republic of South Africa is South Africa's legislature; under the present Constitution of South Africa, the bicameral Parliament comprises a National Assembly and a National Council of Provinces. The current twenty-eighth Parliament was first convened on 14 June 2024.

Official party status refers to the Westminster practice which is officially used in the Parliament of Canada and the provincial legislatures of recognizing parliamentary caucuses of political parties. In official documents, this is sometimes referred to as being a recognized party.

A snap election is an election that is called earlier than the one that has been scheduled. Generally, a snap election in a parliamentary system is called to capitalize on an unusual electoral opportunity or to decide a pressing issue, under circumstances when an election is not required by law or convention. A snap election differs from a recall election in that it is initiated by politicians rather than voters, and from a by-election in that a completely new parliament is chosen as opposed to merely filling vacancies in an already established assembly. Early elections can also be called in certain jurisdictions after a ruling coalition is dissolved if a replacement coalition cannot be formed within a constitutionally set time limit.

A dominant-party system, or one-party dominant system, is a political occurrence in which a single political party continuously dominates election results over running opposition groups or parties. Any ruling party staying in power for more than one consecutive term may be considered a dominant party. Some dominant parties were called the natural governing party, given their length of time in power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)</span> Politician who leads the official opposition in the United Kingdom

The Leader of His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition, more commonly referred to as the Leader of the Opposition, is the person who leads the Official Opposition in the United Kingdom. The position is seen as the shadow head of government of the United Kingdom and thus the shadow prime minister of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabinet of South Africa</span> Cabinet of the national government of the Republic of South Africa

The Cabinet of South Africa is the most senior level of the executive branch of the Government of South Africa. It is made up of the president, the deputy president, and the ministers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of South Africa</span> National government of South Africa

The Government of South Africa, or South African Government, is the national government of the Republic of South Africa, a parliamentary republic with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a parliamentary system. Legislative authority is held by the Parliament of South Africa. Executive authority is vested in the President of South Africa who is head of state and head of government, and his Cabinet. The President is elected by the Parliament to serve a fixed term.

The Unionist Party was a pre-apartheid South African political party, which contested elections to the Union of South Africa parliament from the 1910 South African general election until its merger into the South African Party just before the 1921 South African general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1953 South African general election</span>

General elections were held in South Africa on 15 April 1953. The elections consolidated the position of the National Party under D. F. Malan, which won an absolute majority of the 156 elected seats in the House of Assembly, also receiving the most votes. Its first-time majority of the white electorate would be retained until the 1989 elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1920 South African general election</span>

General elections were held in South Africa on 10 March 1920 to elect the 134 members of the House of Assembly. This was for the third Union Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1933 South African general election</span>

General elections were held in South Africa on 17 May 1933 to elect the 150 members of the House of Assembly. The National Party won half the seats in the House, but the coalition with the South African Party continued.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1938 South African general election</span>

General elections were held in South Africa on 18 May 1938 to elect the 150 members of the House of Assembly. The United Party won an absolute majority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1943 South African general election</span>

General elections were held in South Africa on 7 July 1943 to elect the 150 members of the House of Assembly. The United Party of Jan Smuts won an absolute majority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tricameral Parliament</span> 1984–1994 legislature of South Africa

The Tricameral Parliament, officially the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, was the legislature of South Africa between 1984 and 1994, established by the South African Constitution of 1983, which gave a limited political voice to the country's Coloured and Indian population groups. The majority African population group was however still excluded, their interests notionally represented in the governments of the black homelands, or "bantustans", of which they were formally citizens. As the bantustans were largely politically impotent, its principal effect was to further entrench the political power of the White section of the South African population.

Although the Democratic Alliance of South Africa in its present form is fairly new, its roots can be traced far back in South African political history, through a complex sequence of splits and mergers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Smartt</span> South African politician (1858–1929)

Sir William Thomas Smartt was an Irish-born South African politician, and founder and leader of the Unionist Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opposition (Montenegro)</span> Parliamentary political opposition to the government of Montenegro

In Montenegro, the Opposition is all of the political parties represented in Parliament that are not a part of the Government supported by the parliamentary majority.

References

  1. Grootes, Stephen (24 June 2024). "Judged, disgraced and now recycled — John Hlophe's return to the main parliamentary stage". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  2. Schreiber, Leon A. "'Reconciling The Impossible': South Africa's Government of National Unity, 1994–1996".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. The South African Constitution, pages 596–597
  4. "Rules of the National Assembly: 7th Edition" (PDF). Parliament of South Africa. September 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  5. The Times, edition of 24 May 1911, a review of the first session of the Union Parliament. South Africa 1982, Jameson first leader of the Unionist Party in 1910; Unionist Party second largest party in the 1st Union Parliament
  6. The Unionists gave some support to the South African Party government, so it could continue in office as a minority government from 1915 to 1920. The Times, article of 21 March 1916 confirms that Smartt was still considered to be the leader of the opposition in the 2nd Parliament of the Union. South Africa 1982, page 166.