Eben van Zijl
Encyclopedia
Ebenezer van Zijl was a White Namibian
politician and lawyer in South West Africa
, the forerunner to modern Namibia
.
Van Zijl was a prominent member of the National Party of South West Africa
(NP), which was a branch of the main party in South Africa
. He was a member of the all-White legislative assembly of South West Africa from 1964 until 1981. He left politics in 1981 when he was defeated by Kosie Pretorius
for the position of party leader. Van Zijl returned to politics two years later when he became a NP delegate to the Multi-party conference. In 1985 and 1986, he served in the controversial Transitional Government of National Unity
(TGNU) as Minister in the Cabinet. The TGNU sought to form an independent government which did not include SWAPO. He and other NP members formed the Action National Settlement in 1985/1986 and joined with Moses Katjiuongua
and SWANU and another party to form the National Patriotic Front
, which took part in the 1989 election
. The NPF, however, only earned one seat in the Constituent Assembly, which went to Katjiongua. Following the defeat, van Zijl retired from politics permanently.
Following retirement, van Zijl mostly stayed on his farm, called "Den Haag", in the Summerdown area in the Omaheke Region in eastern Namibia. He died in Swakopmund
in January 2009 at the age of 71.
Whites in Namibia
White Namibians are people of European or Southern African birth or descent living in Namibia. Most white Namibians are Afrikaners, while some are descended from German, Portuguese, or English immigrants.- Distribution :...
politician and lawyer in South West Africa
South West Africa
South-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
, the forerunner to modern Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
.
Van Zijl was a prominent member of the National Party of South West Africa
National Party (South Africa)
The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a...
(NP), which was a branch of the main party in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He was a member of the all-White legislative assembly of South West Africa from 1964 until 1981. He left politics in 1981 when he was defeated by Kosie Pretorius
Kosie Pretorius
Jacobus Willem Francois Pretorius, commonly known as Kosie Pretorius , is a Namibian politician. He is the Chairman of the Monitor Action Group party, which mainly represents conservative white Namibians, and was a member of the National Assembly of Namibia from 1990 to 2005.-Early life and...
for the position of party leader. Van Zijl returned to politics two years later when he became a NP delegate to the Multi-party conference. In 1985 and 1986, he served in the controversial Transitional Government of National Unity
Transitional Government of National Unity (Namibia)
The Transitional Government of National Unity was the government of Namibia from June 1985 to February 1989. The TGNU was a puppet government of Apartheid South Africa that sought moderate reform but was unable to secure recognition by the United Nations...
(TGNU) as Minister in the Cabinet. The TGNU sought to form an independent government which did not include SWAPO. He and other NP members formed the Action National Settlement in 1985/1986 and joined with Moses Katjiuongua
Moses Katjiuongua
Moses Katjikuru Katjiuongua was a Namibian politician, minister in the Transitional Government of National Unity, member of the Constituent Assembly of Namibia, and member of the National Assembly of Namibia....
and SWANU and another party to form the National Patriotic Front
National Patriotic Front (Namibia)
-History:It was formed in March 1989 at the initiative of Moses Katjioungua as an alliance of the Action National Settlement, South West African National Union and Caprivi African National Union political parties....
, which took part in the 1989 election
Namibian parliamentary election, 1989
Parliamentary elections were held in Namibia between 7 and 11 November 1989. These elections were for the Constituent Assembly of Namibia, which, upon independence in March 1990, became the National Assembly of Namibia.-Background:...
. The NPF, however, only earned one seat in the Constituent Assembly, which went to Katjiongua. Following the defeat, van Zijl retired from politics permanently.
Following retirement, van Zijl mostly stayed on his farm, called "Den Haag", in the Summerdown area in the Omaheke Region in eastern Namibia. He died in Swakopmund
Swakopmund
Swakopmund is a city on the coast of northwestern Namibia, west of Windhoek, Namibia's capital. It is the capital of the Erongo administrative district. As a seaside resort, the weather is cooler here in December to January so the territorial administration moves to Swakopmund for these months...
in January 2009 at the age of 71.