Peter Marais
Encyclopedia
Peter Marais is a South African politician who participated in the Tricameral Parliament
and became the Mayor
of Cape Town
after the 2000 election
and later Premier of the Western Cape
province.
Marais became Mayor of Cape Town following the local government election
in December 2000 as a member of the Democratic Alliance (DA). He was forced from the position in 2001 by DA leader Tony Leon
, who saw him as a political embarrassment. The move contributed to the New National Party (NNP) pulling out of the DA.
As a member of the NNP, Marais became premier of the Western Cape
from December 5, 2001, to June 3, 2002, when he resigned following allegations of sexual harassment.
He later founded the New Labour Party
(NLP), attracting only 0.67% of the Western Cape provincial votes in the national election
in 2004.
In 2006, he was cleared of corruption charges stemming from party funding in 2002.
In November 2008, Marais joined the newly formned Congress of the People party, which broke from the ruling African National Congress
early in the year.
Tricameral Parliament
The Tricameral Parliament was the name given to the South African parliament and its structure from 1984 to 1994, established by the South African Constitution of 1983...
and became the Mayor
Mayor of Cape Town
The Mayor of Cape Town is the head of the local government of Cape Town, South Africa; currently that government takes the form of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality. In the past, the position of Mayor has varied between that of an executive mayor actively governing the city and that...
of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
after the 2000 election
South African municipal election, 2000
Municipal elections were held in South Africa on 5 December 2000 to elect members to the local governing councils in the municipalities of South Africa.-Results:...
and later Premier of the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
province.
Marais became Mayor of Cape Town following the local government election
South African municipal election, 2000
Municipal elections were held in South Africa on 5 December 2000 to elect members to the local governing councils in the municipalities of South Africa.-Results:...
in December 2000 as a member of the Democratic Alliance (DA). He was forced from the position in 2001 by DA leader Tony Leon
Tony Leon
Anthony James "Tony" Leon is a South African politician who served as leader of the opposition from 1999-2007 as leader of the Democratic Alliance. Although still a member of the DA, he currently serves as the South African Ambassador to Argentina under the ANC government.-Early life:Leon grew up...
, who saw him as a political embarrassment. The move contributed to the New National Party (NNP) pulling out of the DA.
As a member of the NNP, Marais became premier of the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
from December 5, 2001, to June 3, 2002, when he resigned following allegations of sexual harassment.
He later founded the New Labour Party
New Labour Party (South Africa)
The New Labour Party was a minor South African political party founded by Peter Marais via floor crossing legislation after he left the New National Party in some disrepute. The name was chosen to evoke the former Labour Party led by the late Reverend Allan Hendrickse as an anti-apartheid Coloured...
(NLP), attracting only 0.67% of the Western Cape provincial votes in the national election
South African general election, 2004
Legislative elections were held in South Africa on Wednesday, 14 April 2004. The African National Congress of President Thabo Mbeki, which came to power after the end of the apartheid system in 1994, was re-elected with an increased majority....
in 2004.
In 2006, he was cleared of corruption charges stemming from party funding in 2002.
In November 2008, Marais joined the newly formned Congress of the People party, which broke from the ruling African National Congress
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...
early in the year.