Barend du Plessis

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Barend du Plessis
Minister of Finance
In office
1984–1992
Preceded byOwen Horwood
Succeeded byDerek Keys
Minister of Education and Training
In office
1983–1984
Personal details
Born (1940-01-19) 19 January 1940 (age 84)
South African citizenship
Political partyNational Party
Alma materPotchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education
ProfessionTeacher

Barend Jacobus du Plessis (born 19 January 1940 in

Minister of Finance
in 1984–1992.

Early life and education

Du Plessis grew up in

The Netherlands, West Germany, and Belgium, where he met other student leaders. He also campaigned for the Nationalists in the 1960 republic referendum.[1]

Career

Early career

In 1962, he started as a mathematics teacher at the

South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). Du Plessis was next promoted to the data processing unit, where he trained in computer technology. He was promoted and transferred to the office of the Director General as an administrative secretary.[2]: 81  After his resignation from the SABC in 1968, he went to work at IBM until 1974.[2]: 80  Here he received training in banking and finance, while also attending the IBM Graduate School of Banking Business at Princeton University
in the United States.

Political career

Du Plessis's father was an active member of the National Party and a political career was always a part of his aspirations. He had already worked for the National Party during elections and the Republic referendum of 1960. In 1966, he became an official member of the National Party. After entering his first step in community service in 1972 as an elected official to the Johannesburg City Council, he rapidly advanced himself and was chosen as vice mayor in 1974. He also ran as the NP candidate in Florida, Gauteng in the same year and won the seat from the United Party.[1]

In his capacity as a cabinet minister, he served as a member of the Elected Committee on Public Accounts from 1976-81. He was also elected as secretary of the National Party Study Group on Finance from 1979-81. He was also the Information Officer for the National Party from 1977-81. In 1982, he was elected chairman of the committee that studied South African Broadcasting, but remained interested in finance and economics and was eventually elected Minister of Foreign Affairs and Information. Until this appointment, he served as director for twelve companies.[1]

As a minister, he was concerned with the Government's relationship with the press. In his first few weeks, he made some controversial statements regarding the SABC 's broadcasting Conservative Party propaganda and reporting on government affairs. He was also present, along with Pik Botha, Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the negotiations with Angolan leaders.[3]

On 23 November 1983, he was appointed as the Minister of Education and Training in

Frederik Willem de Klerk. Here he encountered school boycotts in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, where he personally negotiated with the student leaders to deal to their problems. In an effort to ease tensions after the death of a student during police action, he consulted with Bishop Desmond Tutu, but by May 1984, six Atteridgeville and Saulsville schools closed. He sought to understand the role of the black community and to reorganise schools and pointed out that any parent or student had a direct communication with him as minister.[3]

In 1984, during the budget speech of his department in Parliament senior black teachers attended the debate. He declared that there would be no racial restrictions in the future in the Department of Education.[3]

Barend du Plessis was appointed as the Minister of Finance in August 1984. He succeeded Dr.

Transvaal.[3]

After P. W. Botha fell ill in 1989, he successfully contested interim president

De Klerk's cabinet but left his post in 1992.[3]

Personal life

He is married to Antoinette van den Berg and has four children.[2]: 82 

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Barend Jacobus Du Plessis". South African History Online.
  2. ^ .
  3. ^ a b c d e "Barend Du Plessis". Who's who Southern Africa.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Finance
1984–1992
Succeeded by