Kobie Coetsee
Encyclopedia
Hendrik Jacobus Coetsee (19 April 1931, Ladybrand
- 29 July 2000, Bloemfontein
) was a South Africa
n lawyer
, National Party
politician
and administrator as well as a negotiator during the country's transition to democracy.
Born in Ladybrand
a small agricultural town in the province of Orange Free State
(now the province of Free State
), he studied law at the University of the Orange Free State and qualified as an attorney. In 1968, Coetsee won the Bloemfontein
West seat in the House of Assembly
, vacated by J. J. Fouche
, who became State President. P. W. Botha appointed him in 1978 as Deputy Minister for Defence and National Intelligence and, in 1980, to the powerful position of Justice Minister
. The portofolio of Prisons was added to his responsibilities.
A series of meetings between him and the imprisoned Nelson Mandela
began in 1985. In 1985 he was elected provincial leader of the Orange Free State
NP
. From 1990 on he participated in the negotiations between the NP-government and the ANC
. In 1993 he also took over the defence portfolio from Roelf Meyer
until the elections of 1994.
After the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994
, he was elected president of the Senate
(which was later renamed the National Council of Provinces
), although the ANC had a comfortable majority in this chamber of parliament as well. He kept that position until 1997.
A Fast Attack Craft
of the South African Navy
was named after him.
Kobie Coetsee was married in 1956 and was a father of two sons and three daughters. He died of a heart attack in Bloemfontein
in 2000.
Ladybrand
Ladybrand is a small agricultural town in the Free State province of South Africa, situated 18 km from Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. Ladybrand is one of five towns that forms the Mantsopa Local Municipality...
- 29 July 2000, Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
) was a 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...
n lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, National Party
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and administrator as well as a negotiator during the country's transition to democracy.
Born in Ladybrand
Ladybrand
Ladybrand is a small agricultural town in the Free State province of South Africa, situated 18 km from Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. Ladybrand is one of five towns that forms the Mantsopa Local Municipality...
a small agricultural town in the province of Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
(now the province of Free State
Free State
The Free State is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bloemfontein, which is also South Africa's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Orange Free State Boer republic and later Orange Free State Province. The current borders of the province date from 1994 when the Bantustans...
), he studied law at the University of the Orange Free State and qualified as an attorney. In 1968, Coetsee won the Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
West seat in the House of Assembly
House of Assembly of South Africa
The House of Assembly was the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa from 1910 to 1984, and latterly the white representative house of the Tricameral Parliament from 1984 to 1994, when it was replaced by the current National Assembly...
, vacated by J. J. Fouche
Jacobus Johannes Fouché
Jacobus Johannes Fouché served as the second President of South Africa from 1968 to 1975.Born in the Boer republic of the Orange Free State , Fouché was a successful farmer...
, who became State President. P. W. Botha appointed him in 1978 as Deputy Minister for Defence and National Intelligence and, in 1980, to the powerful position of Justice Minister
Justice Minister
A justice ministry is a ministry or other government agency charged with justice. The ministry is often headed by a minister for justice or secretary of justice or secretary for justice; sometimes the head of a department of justice is entitled attorney general.Specific duties may relate to...
. The portofolio of Prisons was added to his responsibilities.
A series of meetings between him and the imprisoned Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
began in 1985. In 1985 he was elected provincial leader of the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
NP
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...
. From 1990 on he participated in the negotiations between the NP-government and the ANC
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
. In 1993 he also took over the defence portfolio from Roelf Meyer
Roelf Meyer
Roelof Petrus Meyer, born in Port Elizabeth on 16 July 1947 as the son of a farmer, is a South African politician and businessman.After completing school in Ficksburg, he studied law at the University of the Free State and finished with B Comm and LLB degrees. At the university, he was president...
until the elections of 1994.
After the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994
South African general election, 1994
The South African general election of 1994 was an election held in South Africa to mark the end of apartheid, therefore also the first held with universal adult suffrage. The election was conducted under the direction of the Independent Electoral Commission .Millions queued in lines over a three...
, he was elected president of the Senate
Senate of South Africa
The Senate was the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa between 1910 and its abolition from 1 January 1981, and between 1994 and 1997.-1910-1981:...
(which was later renamed the National Council of Provinces
National Council of Provinces
The National Council of Provinces is the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa under the constitution which came into full effect in 1997...
), although the ANC had a comfortable majority in this chamber of parliament as well. He kept that position until 1997.
A Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
of the South African Navy
South African Navy
The South African Navy is the navy of the Republic of South Africa.-Formation:The South African Navy can trace its official origins back to the SA Naval Service, which was established on 1 April 1922....
was named after him.
Kobie Coetsee was married in 1956 and was a father of two sons and three daughters. He died of a heart attack in Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
in 2000.
Sources
- Mondli MakhanyaMondli MakhanyaMondli Makhanya was the editor-in-chief of The Sunday Times newspaper. He also sits on the council of the South African National Editors' Forum....
: Wily lawyer who won madiba's trust. Former champion of apartheid dies with integrity intact. Sunday Times (South Africa) 30 July 2000 - Hendrik Jacobus (Kobie) Coetsee | a biography - South African History Online