Sir de Villiers Graaff, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir De Villiers Graaff, 2nd Baronet (8 December 1913 - 4 October 1999) (given name De Villiers, surname Graaff
) known as Div Graaf, was a South Africa
n politician who succeeded his father, Sir David Pieter de Villiers Graaff, 1st Baronet
, to his baronetcy in 1931. He died in 1999 and was succeeded by his son, Sir David de Villiers Graaff, 3rd Baronet.
He became a member of Parliament
in 1948, the year his United Party
was ousted from government by the conservative National Party
, which promised to enact a de jure
system of apartheid. Victory in De Villiers' constituency (Hottentots-Holland) was the only UP pickup in the election; nevertheless, Graaff took over leadership of the United Party in 1956 from J.G.N. Strauss. He led the opposition to the governments of three apartheid prime ministers, Johannes Strijdom, Hendrik Verwoerd, and B.J. Vorster
. In 1977, the United Party was dissolved and the New Republic Party
was founded, of which he briefly served as interim leader before retiring. Graaff succeeded his father as baronet in 1931 and the following year played two first-class cricket
matches for Western Province.
The M1 highway
, which was originally part of a ring road around the southern end of the Central Business District
of Johannesburg
to the affluent northern suburbs, was named the De Villiers Graaff Motorway
in his honour.
This baronetcy is one of twelve conferred on South Africans between 1841 and 1924.
His youngest brother is Johannes de Villiers Graaff
, a noted South African Welfare Economist
.
De Graeff
De Graeff is an old Dutch patrician family. The family have played an important role during the Dutch Golden Age. They were at the centre of Amsterdam public life and oligarchy from 1578 until 1672...
) known as Div Graaf, 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 politician who succeeded his father, Sir David Pieter de Villiers Graaff, 1st Baronet
Sir David Graaff, 1st Baronet
Sir David Pieter de Villiers Graaff, 1st Baronet was a South African cold storage magnate and politician. Graaff revolutionized the cold storage industry in Africa. He founded the Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company in 1899, and aggressively ran it until he left to serve in government. ...
, to his baronetcy in 1931. He died in 1999 and was succeeded by his son, Sir David de Villiers Graaff, 3rd Baronet.
He became a member of Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
in 1948, the year his United Party
United Party
United Party is a term used various political parties:* United Party of Canada* United Party * United States United Party* United Party of National Development, Zambia* United Party * United Party * United Party...
was ousted from government by the conservative 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...
, which promised to enact a de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
system of apartheid. Victory in De Villiers' constituency (Hottentots-Holland) was the only UP pickup in the election; nevertheless, Graaff took over leadership of the United Party in 1956 from J.G.N. Strauss. He led the opposition to the governments of three apartheid prime ministers, Johannes Strijdom, Hendrik Verwoerd, and B.J. Vorster
B.J. Vorster
Balthazar Johannes Vorster , better known as John Vorster, served as the Prime Minister of South Africa from 1966 to 1978 and as the fourth State President of South Africa from 1978 to 1979...
. In 1977, the United Party was dissolved and the New Republic Party
New Republic Party
The New Republic Party was a South African political party. It was formed as the successor to the disbanded United Party in 1977. After the UP wound up, initially the last UP leader, Sir de Villiers Graaff served as the interim national leader of the new party, with Radclyffe Cadman as...
was founded, of which he briefly served as interim leader before retiring. Graaff succeeded his father as baronet in 1931 and the following year played two first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
matches for Western Province.
The M1 highway
M1 (Johannesburg)
The M1 De Villiers Graaff motorway is a major freeway in Johannesburg, South Africa. The highway connects the southern areas with the city centre and extends further north through Sandton...
, which was originally part of a ring road around the southern end of the Central Business District
Central Business District (Johannesburg)
The Central Business District, commonly called Johannesburg CBD, is one of the main business centres of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is the most dense collection of skyscrapers in Africa, however due to white flight and urban blight, many of the buildings are unoccupied as tenants have left for...
of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
to the affluent northern suburbs, was named the De Villiers Graaff Motorway
M1 (Johannesburg)
The M1 De Villiers Graaff motorway is a major freeway in Johannesburg, South Africa. The highway connects the southern areas with the city centre and extends further north through Sandton...
in his honour.
This baronetcy is one of twelve conferred on South Africans between 1841 and 1924.
His youngest brother is Johannes de Villiers Graaff
Jan de Van Graaff
Johannes de Villiers Graaff is a neoclassical South African welfare economist and former chairman of Nedbank...
, a noted South African Welfare Economist
Welfare economics
Welfare economics is a branch of economics that uses microeconomic techniques to evaluate economic well-being, especially relative to competitive general equilibrium within an economy as to economic efficiency and the resulting income distribution associated with it...
.