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Leader of the Opposition (South Africa)
Politician who leads the official opposition in South Africa
Politician who leads the official opposition in South Africa
| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| post | Leader of the Opposition | |
| body | the Republic of South Africa | |
| native_name | {{collapsible list | |
| title | 10 other official names | |
| titlestyle | background:transparent;text-align:left;padding-left:2.5em;font-size:85%; | |
| liststyle | text-align:center;white-space:nowrap; | |
| fontsize | 68%}} | |
| fontsize | 68%}} | |
| fontsize | 68%}} | |
| fontsize | 68%}} | |
| fontsize | 68%}} | |
| fontsize | 68%}} | |
| fontsize | 68%}} | |
| fontsize | 68%}} | |
| fontsize | 68%}} | |
| fontsize | 68%}} | |
| image | John Hlophe on EFF podcast.jpg | |
| incumbent | John Hlophe | |
| incumbentsince | 25 June 2024 | |
| style | The Honourable | |
| termlength | While leader of the largest political party in the National Assembly that is not in government | |
| inaugural | Leander Starr Jameson | |
| formation | 15 September 1910 |
| af | nr | xh | zu | ss | nso | st | tn | ts | ve
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.
The position of opposition leader in the National Assembly is currently held by John Hlophe of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), who was appointed on 25 June 2024.
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 (GNP) in 1934. It was also the case during the Government of National Unity between 1994 and 1996, when the National Party (NP) withdrew.
In the case of the Democratic Alliance (DA), 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.
Following the national election in May 2024, the African National Congress (ANC) lost its outright majority for the first time in South Africa’s democratic history. The DA entered the government, the ANC-led Government of National Unity, for the first time. The new MK party, the third biggest political party in the parliament after the ANC and the DA, became the official opposition.
Legal definition
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.
The current Constitution of South Africa makes provision for recognition of the leader of the opposition in Section 57(2): Rule 21 of the rules of the National Assembly provides in similar words that:
List of leaders of the opposition in South Africa (1910–present)
| No. | Portrait | Leader | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Birth–Death) | Political party | Term of office | Unionist Party (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | 1 | Unionist Party (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | 2 | National Party (South Africa)}};" | 3 | South African Party}}; color:white;" | 4 | Labour Party (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | Purified National Party}};" | 5 | Reunited National Party}};" | (3) | Reunited National Party}};" | (5) | United Party (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | (4) | United Party (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | 6 | United Party (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | 7 | New Republic Party}}; color:black;" | 8 | Progressive Federal Party}}; color:white;" | 9 | Progressive Federal Party}}; color:white;" | 10 | Progressive Federal Party}}; color:white;" | (9) | Conservative Party (South Africa)}};" | 11 | Conservative Party (South Africa)}};" | 12 | Freedom Front Plus}}; color:white;" | National Party (South Africa)}};" | 13 | New National Party (South Africa)}};" | 14 | Democratic Party (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | 15 | Democratic Alliance (South Africa)}};" | Democratic Alliance (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | 16 | Democratic Alliance (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | 17 | Democratic Alliance (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | 18 | Democratic Alliance (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | 19 | Democratic Alliance (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | — | Democratic Alliance (South Africa)}}; color:white;" | 20 | uMkhonto we Sizwe (political party)}}; color:white;" | 21 | |||
| [[File:SirLeanderStarrJameson.jpg | 80px]] | Leander Starr Jameson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1853–1917) | Unionist Party | 1910–1912 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:SirThomasSmartt.jpg | 80px]] | Thomas Smartt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1858–1929) | Unionist Party | 1912–1920 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:JBM Hertzog - SA (cropped).jpg | 80px]] | James Barry Munnik Hertzog | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1866–1942) | National Party | 1920–1924 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Genl JC Smuts (cropped).jpg | 80px]] | Jan Christiaan Smuts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1870–1950) | South African Party | 1924–1933 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| vacantDuring 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. | 1933–1934 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Walter Madeley (cropped).jpg | 80px]] | Walter Madeley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1873–1947) | Labour Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:DFMalanPortret (cropped).jpg | 80px]] | Daniël François Malan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1874–1959) | Purified National Party | 1934–1940 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:JBM Hertzog - SA (cropped).jpg | 80px]] | James Barry Munnik Hertzog | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1866–1942) | Reunited National Party | 1940 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:DFMalanPortret (cropped).jpg | 80px]] | Daniël François Malan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1874–1959) | Reunited National Party | 1940–1948 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Genl JC Smuts (cropped).jpg | 80px]] | Jan Christiaan Smuts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1870–1950) | United Party | 1948–1950 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:KoosStrauss (cropped).jpg | 80px]] | Jacobus Gideon Nel Strauss | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1900–1990) | United Party | 1950–1956 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Sir De Villiers Graaff 1960.jpg | 80px]] | Sir De Villiers Graaff | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1913–1999) | United Party | 1956–1977 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:No image.png | 80px]] | Radclyffe Cadman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1924–2011) | New Republic Party | 1977 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Colin Eglin (cropped).jpg | 80px]] | Colin Eglin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1925–2013) | Progressive Federal Party | 1977–1979 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:No image.png | 80px]] | Frederik van Zyl Slabbert | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1940–2010) | Progressive Federal Party | 1979–1986 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Colin Eglin (cropped).jpg | 80px]] | Colin Eglin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1925–2013) | Progressive Federal Party | 1986–1987 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Dr Andries Treurnicht as studenteleraar van die NG gemeente Rondebosch.jpg | 80px]] | Andries Treurnicht | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1921–1993) | Conservative Party | 1987–1993 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:F Hartzenberg 1995.jpg | 80px]] | Ferdi Hartzenberg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1936–2021) | Conservative Party | 1993–1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| vacantDuring 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. | 1994–1996 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Constand Viljoen c. 1985.png | 80px]] | Constand Viljoen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1933–2020) | Freedom Front Plus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Frederik Willem de Klerk, 1990.jpg | 80px]] | Frederik Willem de Klerk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1936–2021) | National Party | 1996–1997 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Marthinus van Schalkwyk crop.jpg | 80px]] | Marthinus van Schalkwyk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (born 1959) | New National Party | 1997–1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:TonyLeon.jpg | 80px]] | Tony Leon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (born 1956) | Democratic Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (until 2000) | 1999–2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Democratic Alliance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (from 2000) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:No image.png | 80px]] | Sandra Botha | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (born 1945) | Democratic Alliance | 2007–2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Athol Trollip DA MP.jpg | 80px]] | Athol Trollip | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (born 1964) | Democratic Alliance | 2009–2011 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Lindiwe Masibuko DA MP (cropped).jpg | 80px]] | Lindiwe Mazibuko | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (born 1980) | Democratic Alliance | 2011–2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Mmusi Maimane (cropped).jpg | 80px]] | Mmusi Maimane | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (born 1980) | Democratic Alliance | 2014–2019 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Annelie Lotriet.jpg | 80px]] | Annelie Lotriet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (born 1960) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acting | Democratic Alliance | 2019 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:John Steenhuisen 2024.jpg | 80px]] | John Steenhuisen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (born 1976) | Democratic Alliance | 2019–2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:John Hlophe on EFF podcast.jpg | 80px]] | John Hlophe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (born 1959) | uMkhonto we Sizwe | 2024–present |
;Notes:
Timeline
ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:21 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:120 right:100 left:20 AlignBars = late
Define $now =
Colors = id:unionist value:rgb(0.514,0.773,0.227) legend:Unionist_Party id:national value:rgb(0.97,0.58,0.11) legend:National_Party_/Purified_National_Party/Reunited_National_Party/_New_National_Party id:sap value:rgb(0.07,0.62,0.82) legend:South_African_Party id:lp value:rgb(0.937,0.110,0.153) legend:Labour_Party id:up value:rgb(0,0.39,1) legend:United_Party id:nrp value:rgb(1,0.70,0) legend:New_Republic_Party id:pfp value:rgb(0,0.28,0.67) legend:Progressive_Federal_Party id:cp value:rgb(1,0.8,0) legend:Conservative_Party id:ffp value:rgb(0.85,0.49,0) legend:Freedom_Front_Plus id:dp value:rgb(0.506,0.769,0.933) legend:Democratic_Party id:da value:rgb(0.0,0.388,0.714) legend:Democratic_Alliance id:mk value:rgb(0.306,0.780,0.4) legend:uMkhonto_we_Sizwe
id:gray1 value:gray(0.85) id:gray2 value:gray(0.95)
DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:1910 till: TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = gridcolor:gray1 unit:year increment:5 start:1910 ScaleMinor = gridcolor:gray2 unit:year increment:1 start:1910
Legend = columns:1 left:120 top:80 columnwidth:170
TextData = pos:(20,85) textcolor:black fontsize:M text:"Political party:"
BarData = bar:Jameson bar:Smartt bar:Hertzog bar:Smuts bar:Madeley bar:Malan bar:Strauss bar:Graaff bar:Cadman bar:Eglin bar:Slabbert bar:Treurnicht bar:Hartzenberg bar:Viljoen bar:de_Klerk bar:van_Schalkwyk bar:Leon bar:Botha bar:Trollip bar:Mazibuko bar:Maimane bar:Lotriet bar:Steenhuisen bar:Hlophe
PlotData = width:5 align:left fontsize:9 shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
bar:Jameson from: 1910 till: 1912 color:unionist text:"Leander Starr Jameson" bar:Smartt from: 1912 till: 1920 color:unionist text:"Thomas Smartt" bar:Hertzog from: 1920 till: 1924 color:national from: 1940 till: 1940 color:national text:"J. B. M. Hertzog" bar:Smuts from: 1924 till: 1933 color:sap from: 1948 till: 1950 color:up text:"Jan Smuts" bar:Madeley from: 1933 till: 1934 color:lp text:"Walter Madeley" bar:Malan from: 1934 till: 1940 color:national from: 1940 till: 1948 color:national text:"D. F. Malan" bar:Strauss from: 1950 till: 1956 color:up text:"J. G. N. Strauss" bar:Graaff from: 1956 till: 1977 color:up text:"De Villiers Graaff" bar:Cadman from: 1977 till: 1977 color:nrp text:"Radclyffe Cadman" bar:Eglin from: 1977 till: 1979 color:pfp from: 1986 till: 1987 color:pfp text:"Colin Eglin" bar:Slabbert from: 1979 till: 1986 color:pfp text:"Frederik van Zyl Slabbert" bar:Treurnicht from: 1987 till: 1993 color:cp text:"Andries Treurnicht" bar:Hartzenberg from: 1993 till: 1994 color:cp text:"Ferdi Hartzenberg" bar:Viljoen from: 1994 till: 1996 color:ffp text:"Constand Viljoen" bar:de_Klerk from: 1996 till: 1997 color:national text:"F. W. de Klerk" bar:van_Schalkwyk from: 1997 till: 1999 color:national text:"Marthinus van Schalkwyk" bar:Leon from: 1999 till: 2000 color:dp from: 2000 till: 2007 color:da text:"Tony Leon" bar:Botha from: 2007 till: 2009 color:da text:"Sandra Botha" bar:Trollip from: 2009 till: 2011 color:da text:"Athol Trollip" bar:Mazibuko from: 2011 till: 2014 color:da text:"Lindiwe Mazibuko" bar:Maimane from: 2014 till: 2019 color:da text:"Mmusi Maimane" bar:Lotriet from: 2019 till: 2019 color:da text:"Annelie Lotriet (acting)" bar:Steenhuisen from: 2019 till: 2024 color:da text:"John Steenhuisen" bar:Hlophe from: 2024 till: $now color:mk text:"John Hlophe"
References
- The South African Constitution, by H.J. May (3rd edition 1955, Juta & Co)
- Keesing's Contemporary Archives, various volumes
- Smuts: A Reappraisal, by Bernard Friedman (George, Allen & Unwin 1975)
- South Africa 1982 Official Yearbook of the Republic of South Africa, published by Chris van Rensburg Publications
References
- Grootes, Stephen. (2024-06-24). "Judged, disgraced and now recycled — John Hlophe’s return to the main parliamentary stage".
- Schreiber, Leon A.. "‘Reconciling The Impossible’: South Africa’s Government of National Unity, 1994–1996".
- "Seventh Parliament End of Year Review (June-December 2024)".
- ''The South African Constitution'', pages 596–597
- (September 2016). "Rules of the National Assembly: 7th Edition". Parliament of South Africa.
- ''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
- 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.
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