Janet Semple Explained

Janet Semple
Office:Leader of the Democratic Alliance in Gauteng
Term Start:18 April 2010
Term End:10 March 2012
Predecessor:John Moodey
Successor:John Moodey
Office1:Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature
Term Start1:19 October 2010
Term End1:7 May 2019
Office2:Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
Term Start2:14 June 1999
Term End2:21 April 2009
Birth Date:29 March 1955
Citizenship:South Africa
Party:Democratic Alliance
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Janet Audrey Semple (born 29 March 1955) is a retired South African politician who served as a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature for the Democratic Alliance (DA) from 2010 to 2019. She was the Provincial Leader of the DA in Gauteng from 2010 to 2012. She previously represented the DA and Democratic Party (DP) in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2009.

Early life and career

Semple was born on 29 March 1955.[1] She started her political career by serving as both the mayor and deputy mayor of Bedfordview.[2] She was a member of the Women's National Coalition.

Parliament

Semple joined the National Assembly in the 1999 general election, representing the DP, and stood successfully for re-election in 2004, ranked fourth on the Gauteng party list of the DA, the DP's successor party.[3] She was also Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance's Women Network from 2005 to 2009 and the DA's political head in Benoni. She left Parliament after the 2009 general election.

Provincial legislature

Semple was elected the Provincial Leader of the Democratic Alliance in April 2010. She defeated incumbent John Moodey by just 8 votes.[4] [5] She was soon appointed to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in October 2010. She became the party's provincial spokesperson on Housing and the party's head in Boksburg.

Semple announced her retirement as the provincial leader in January 2012.[6] Her predecessor, John Moodey, was elected as her successor at the party's March 2012 conference.[7]

She left the Gauteng Provincial Legislature at the May 2019 general election.

Notes and References

  1. 11 June 1999 . General Notice: Notice 1319 of 1999 – Electoral Commission: Representatives Elected to the Various Legislatures . . Pretoria, South Africa . . 408 . 20203 . 26 March 2021.
  2. News: Semple appointed as Gauteng MPL . 24 November 2019 . News24 . 19 October 2010 . Johannesburg.
  3. News: Pressly . Donwald . 26 January 2004 . Top DA brass low on Gauteng list . Mail & Guardian . 24 November 2019.
  4. News: Mataboge . Mmanaledi . DA divided over leaders . 24 November 2019 . Mail & Guardian . 23 April 2010.
  5. News: Charged DA leader voted out . 24 November 2019 . IOL . 18 April 2010.
  6. News: Ndaba . Baldwin . Moodey tipped for Gauteng DA leader . 24 November 2019 . The Star . 8 March 2012.
  7. News: Hlongwane . Sipho . DA elects John Moodey its new leader in Gauteng . 24 November 2019 . The Daily Maverick . 11 March 2012.