Randall van den Heever explained

Party:African National Congress
Office1:Member of the National Assembly
Termstart1:May 1994
Termend1:May 2009
Citizenship:South Africa
Birth Date:15 August 1950
Birth Name:Randall Paul Zachariaden van den Heever
Office2:Deputy Provincial Chairperson of the Western Cape African National Congress
1Blankname2:Chairperson
1Namedata2:James Ngculu
Successor2:Lynne Brown
Predecessor2:Nomatyala Hangana
Termstart2:June 2005
Termend2:September 2008

Randall Paul Zachariaden van den Heever (born 15 August 1950) is a South African politician and former trade unionist. Formerly the general secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu), he represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly from 1994 to 2009. He also served as deputy provincial chairperson of the ANC's Western Cape branch from 2005 to 2008.

Early life and career

Born on 15 August 1950,[1] van den Heever was a teacher by profession.[2] He rose to prominence as the general secretary of Sadtu during the early 1990s,[3] and he was arrested during a 1992 union sit-in.

National Assembly: 1994–2009

In South Africa's first post-apartheid elections in 1994, van den Heever was elected to represent the ANC in the National Assembly.[4] He served three terms in his seat, gaining re-election in 1999 and 2004;[5] though elected off the ANC's national party list, he manned the party's constituency office in the Northern Cape's Karoo District.

Western Cape ANC: 2005–2008

At an early stage in his third term in Parliament, van den Heever was drawn into factional infighting in the Western Cape branch of the ANC, then divided between supporters of incumbent provincial chairperson Ebrahim Rasool and supporters of Rasool's rival, provincial secretary Mcebisi Skwatsha. In May 2005, Skwatsha's ally, Max Ozinsky, chaired a meeting of the pro-Skwatsha camp which devised a slate of candidates for election to top leadership positions in the provincial party; van den Heever appeared on the list, initially as the slate's candidate for election as deputy provincial secretary.[6]

When the Western Cape ANC held its next provincial elective conference in June of that year, Skwatsha's slate made a clean sweep of the top positions, and van den Heever was elected to deputise James Ngculu as deputy provincial chairperson.[7] He served a single term in the party office and was replaced by Lynne Brown at the ANC's next provincial elective conference in September 2008.[8]

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: 13 May 2005 . Western Cape no stranger to ANC in-fighting . IOL . 21 May 2023.
  3. Web site: 7 August 1991 . South African teacher's union demands color blind education . 2023-05-21 . UPI . en.
  4. Book: South Africa: Campaign and Election Report April 26–29, 1994 . . 1994 . 13 April 2023 . Yumpu.
  5. 20 April 2004 . General Notice: Notice 717 of 2004 - Electoral Commission – List of Names of Representatives in the National Assembly and the Nine Provincial Legislatures in Respect of the Elections Held on 14 April 2004 . . Pretoria, South Africa . . 466 . 2677 . 4–95 . 26 March 2021.
  6. News: 12 May 2005 . ANC peacemakers to tackle growing party rift . IOL . 21 May 2023.
  7. News: 13 June 2005 . New ANC chief vows to heal the deep divide . IOL . 21 May 2023.
  8. Web site: 2008-09-29 . Western Cape ANC denies obvious rift . 2022-11-29 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.