Kent Durr Explained

Party:African Christian Democratic Party
Office1:Member of the National Assembly
Termstart1:23 April 2004
Termend1:31 July 2005
Citizenship:South African citizenship
Constituency1:Western Cape
Otherparty:National Party (formerly)
Birth Place:Cape Province, Union of South Africa
Alma Mater:University of Cape Town

Kent Diederich Skelton Durr (born 1941) is a South African politician and diplomat who served as Minister of Trade and Industry from September 1989 to March 1991 during the presidency of F. W. de Klerk. He later served as the last South African Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1991 to 1994, and he represented the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) in the National Assembly from April 2004 to July 2005.

Life and career

Durr was born in the former Cape Province in 1941 and attended the South African College Schools and University of Cape Town.[1] During apartheid, he represented the governing National Party in the House of Assembly,[2] and in September 1989 he was one of two Anglophones appointed to President de Klerk's cabinet.[3] [4] He served as Minister of Trade and Industry until March 1991, when he was designated as South African Ambassador to the United Kingdom and left the assembly.[5]

After the end of apartheid, Durr remained active in South African politics, ultimately leaving the NP for the ACDP. In the 2004 general election, he stood as a candidate for the ACDP[6] and was elected to the post-apartheid National Assembly, serving the Western Cape constituency.[7] He resigned on 31 July 2005 and was replaced by Hendry Cupido.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About . 2023-04-15 . Kent Durr . en-US.
  2. Web site: 1988-03-10 . PW shuffles his cabinet . 2023-04-15 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  3. News: Claiborne . William . 1989-09-17 . S. African Leader Reshuffles Cabinet . en-US . Washington Post . 2023-04-15 . 0190-8286.
  4. News: Wren . Christopher S. . 1989-09-17 . South African Leader Appoints New Cabinet . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-04-15 . 0362-4331.
  5. Web site: 14 March 1991 . De Klerk reshuffles Cabinet to promote land reform . 2023-04-15 . en . UPI.
  6. Web site: 2004-04-20 . Few surprises on candidates lists . 2023-04-15 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  7. Web site: 2009-01-15 . National Assembly Members . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090514071402/http://www.pmg.org.za/parlinfo/nalist#_ftnref87 . 14 May 2009 . 2023-04-08 . Parliamentary Monitoring Group.