Juanita Terblanche Explained

Juanita Terblanche
Office:Shadow Minister of Home Affairs
Term Start:2009
Term End:2014
Leader:Helen Zille
Office2:Deputy Shadow Minister of Scie nce and Technology
Predecessor2:Manie van Dyk
Term Start2:2014
Term End2:2017
Leader2:Helen Zille
Mmusi Maimane
Constituency Mp3:Potchefstroom & Ventersdorp, North West Province
Term Start3:2004
Term End3:2017
Birth Date:14th of December, 1970
Birth Place:Potchefstroom
Nationality:South African
Spouse:Reinier Terblanche
Party:Democratic Alliance
Relations:Chris Hattingh (father)
Children:3
Residence:Potchefstroom
Alma Mater:Potchefstroom University

Juanita Fredrika Terblanche (Hattingh, born 14 December 1970) is a South African politician. Prior to 2017, she was a Member of Parliament with the Democratic Alliance and the Deputy Shadow Minister of Science and Technology.

Following her return to active politics in 2022, she was elected a branch chairperson of the party. She currently serves as a councillor of the JB Marks Local Municipality.

Early life and education

Terblanche was born on 14 December 1970 to Chris and Ina Hattingh. Her father, a direct descendant of the Cape Colony free burgher Hans Heinrich Hattingh and his wife Susannah Visser,[1] [2] was a Potchefstroom City Councillor before joining what is now the Democratic Alliance and becoming a member of the North West Provincial Legislature. Her other ancestry includes descents from the Khoi interpreter Krotoa and the Boer statesman Paul Kruger.[3]

Career

In 1998, Terblanche's father crossed the floor to the Democratic Party and she joined politics as an activist. She took part in the 1999 campaign that brought him to the provincial legislature, then won a by-election on the platform of the DP with 76% of the vote to become the party's only councillor. By 2001, Terblanche was again a Potchefstroom City Councillor, having won 82% of the vote in her ward the previous year for the then newly re-christened Democratic Alliance.[4] She also held office as caucus chair, and was the North West provincial secretary from 2000 until 2004.

In 2004, she was elected a member of the National Council of Provinces, where she was best known for passing a 2004 motion censuring Thabo Mbeki for his attitude to rape.[5] At the beginning of the term, Terblanche was elected as whip in the chamber.[5] During her time in the NCOP, she was temporarily ejected from the upper house for exclaiming in Afrikaans during a session.[6] Upon the completion of her term in the upper chamber, she then became the representative for the constituency of Ventersdorp/Tlokwe (Potchefstroom) in the National Assembly of South Africa, the country's lower house, in 2009.

From 2005 to 2006, she served as the first female Counsellor to the Leader of the Opposition, succeeding fellow MP Gareth Morgan. In 2009, she was the DA Home Affairs Spokesperson and again served as whip, this time in the lower house.[7] During her time at the Home Affairs department, she took part in the planning that preceded South Africa's hosting of the soccer world cup in 2010 and gave an interview following the ID card suicide.[8] [9] [10] Terblanche also spoke on behalf of her party and constituency in the wake of the murder of white supremacist leader Eugene Terre'Blanche (whom she is not related to).[11] [12] In 2011, she was the Democratic Alliance's candidate for mayor of Potchefstroom.[13] She also issued a statement about the spate of farm attacks in South Africa in 2012. [14] Terblanche was the constituency leader for Tlokwe when the DA briefly took control of the municipality in 2013, a move she championed.

In June 2014, Terblanche was named as Deputy Spokesperson in the Science and Technology portfolio.[15] During her time with the department, her work included debating aspects of the Square Kilometer Array's South African location,[16] South Africa's then gestational Space program,[17] and the South African Indigenous Knowledge preservation and promotion bill.[18]

In 2014, charges were laid against Deputy Minister for Higher Education Mduduzi Manana for, among other things, "manhandling" Terblanche in a brawl in parliament.[19] [20] [21]

In 2015, she spoke out against the excessive use of force by the South African Police Service and praised the arrest of individuals that had been running an illegal initiation school.[22] [23] In October of that year, Terblanche was expelled from the Democratic Alliance, along with Dianne Kohler Barnard. [24] [25] [26] The ANC called it a "public relations stunt."[27] Terblanche said the misconduct inquiry that led to her expulsion was "erroneous, misleading and defamatory" and said she would appeal to the High Court.[28]

She left parliament in 2017. Her membership of the Democratic Alliance was ultimately reinstated in February, 2022. She currently serves as one of the party's branch chairs in her native North West Province. Since 2024, she has also been a councillor in the JB Marks Local Municipality.

Honours

Over the course of her career in politics, Terblanche was named as one of "the 200 young people that you should take to lunch" by the Mail and Guardian. She also received the Sunday Times award for "Upstart of the Year" and was further named as one of "the 100 young people that will make a difference in the next 10 years", again by the Mail and Guardian.[5]

Illness

In April 2010, Terblanche was diagnosed with acoustic neuroma. She subsequently had the first of three corrective surgeries on July the 13th of that year.

After the three procedures were completed, some of the tumor remained due to both the nature of Terblanche's case in particular and the damage sustained during the final surgery.

She is currently continuing treatment.

Personal life

Terblanche is married to the lepidopterist Reinier Terblanche. They have three children together.[28]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: African Royal Families. . November 25, 2023.
  2. Web site: SA wine history: On some of the 'invisible' people of early Cape wine. Joanne Gibson. winemag.co.za.. September 19, 2023.
  3. Web site: African Royal Families. . May 1, 2024.
  4. Web site: I got a raw deal from the DA. Dan. Dhlamini. 21 April 2001. CityPress.
  5. Web site: Young South Africans: Politics. 26 June 2008. Mail & Guardian.
  6. Web site: Ag Siestog comment gets MP ejected. iol.co.za.. September 17, 2023.
  7. Web site: S Africa probes ID card suicide . BBC News. 31 August 2009.
  8. Web site: Home Affairs. pmg.org.za.. September 17, 2023.
  9. Web site: "Home Affairs must explain GijimaAst debacle" - DA. politicsweb.co.za.. September 21, 2023.
  10. Web site: Africa. bbc.co.uk.. September 21, 2023.
  11. Web site: South African far right leader killed. nbcnews.com.. September 17, 2023.
  12. Web site: White supremacist's killing a "declaration of war". smh.com.au.. September 20, 2023.
  13. Web site: DA candidate's mother 'assaulted with blunt object'. 26 April 2011. News24.
  14. Web site: DA: "Government failing farmers. news24.com.. September 21, 2023.
  15. Web site: Shinn again to lead DA telecoms portfolio. Tech Central. Duncan. McLeod. 5 June 2014. 25 June 2016.
  16. Web site: Science and Technology. pmg.org.za.. September 17, 2023.
  17. Web site: Science and Technology. pmg.org.za.. September 17, 2023.
  18. Web site: Science and Technology. pmg.org.za.. September 17, 2023.
  19. Web site: ANC: DA charges a publicity stunt. 17 November 2014. News24. 25 June 2016.
  20. Web site: Parliament to sizzle, vow opposition. IOL. 15 November 2014. 25 June 2016. Craig. Dodds. Thabiso. Thakali. Jan. Cronje.
  21. Web site: DA MP hurt in Parliament fracas. IOL. Jan. Cronje. 15 November 2014. 25 June 2016.
  22. Web site: DA: Juanita Terblanche says SAPS power display during arrests shows force instead of service towards community. polity.org.za.. September 21, 2023.
  23. Web site: DA: Juanita Terblanche says DA asks protection for young boys. polity.org.za.. September 21, 2023.
  24. Web site: DA kicks out Kohler Barnard, Terblanche. IOL. 30 October 2015. 25 June 2016.
  25. Web site: Dianne Kohler Barnard fired from the DA. 30 October 2015. 25 June 2016. eNCA.
  26. Web site: ANC labels Kohler Barnard's expulsion a 'public relations stunt'. eNCA. 31 October 2015. 25 June 2016.
  27. Web site: ANC 'not moved' by Kohler Barnard expulsion. The Citizen. 31 October 2015. 25 June 2016.
  28. Web site: Terblanche is fighting back. Potchefstroom Herald. 8 November 2015. 25 June 2016.