Dene Smuts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dene Smuts
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| Shadow Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development | |
| In office 14 May 2009 – 5 June 2014 |
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| Leader | Helen Zille |
| Succeeded by | Glynnis Breytenbach |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mudene Smuts
13 July 1949 Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa |
| Died | 21 April 2016 (aged 66) Cape Town, South Africa |
| Political party | Democratic Alliance |
| Alma mater | University of Stellenbosch |
Mudene "Dene" Smuts (born 13 July 1949, died 21 April 2016) was an important South African politician. She was a member of the South African Parliament for the Democratic Alliance (DA) political party. She held many different roles, including being the Shadow Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development. This means she was the main spokesperson for the opposition party on justice issues, like a critic who suggests different ideas.
Contents
Dene Smuts: Her Early Life
Dene Smuts was born and grew up in Bloemfontein, which is in the Free State province of South Africa. She went to Oranje Meisieskool for her schooling.
After finishing high school, she continued her studies at Stellenbosch University. She earned a BA Hons degree there.
Before becoming a politician, Smuts worked as an editor. She was the editor of Fair Lady magazine. She also worked as the managing editor for Leadership magazine. Besides her editing work, she was a talented writer and won awards for her books.
Dene Smuts: Her Political Journey
Dene Smuts was known for being a strong libertarian. This means she deeply believed in individual freedom. She also believed that governments should only rule with the consent of the governed, meaning people must agree to be ruled.
Starting in Parliament
Smuts began her political career in 1989. She was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Groote Schuur area. She represented the Democratic Party (DP), which was only five months old at the time.
On 6 September 1989, she took part in the big Peace March in Cape Town. This was a very important day. It happened at the same time she was sworn in as an MP.
Working for a New Constitution
Smuts played a key role in South Africa's move from Apartheid to democracy. She was a constitutional negotiator for the DP. This process began in 1990 with President FW de Klerk's speech.
Smuts was involved from that day until 1996. She focused on writing the Bill of Rights for the country's new Constitution. This Bill of Rights protects the basic rights of all South Africans.
She also spoke for the DP on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This commission helped South Africa deal with its past. She also spoke on issues of the Constitution and human rights.
Leadership Roles in Parliament
In 1992, Smuts made history. She became South Africa's first female whip in Parliament. A whip is a person who makes sure party members attend votes. They also make sure members vote according to the party's decisions.
From 1994 to 1997, she served as the chairperson for the Democratic Party.
Fighting for Free Speech
Smuts was the spokesperson for broadcasting and telecoms. She held this role for both the Democratic Party (DP) and later the Democratic Alliance (DA). She focused on issues related to free speech.
She served on a special committee that looked at the Protection of State Information Bill. This bill was also called the Secrecy Bill. Smuts strongly opposed parts of this bill. These parts would have made almost all information a state secret. This included information from companies. It would also have made it a crime for journalists to publish anything not approved by the state. She fought against these rules to protect freedom of the press.
Later, Smuts served the DA as the Shadow Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development. In this role, she kept an eye on the government's justice department. She offered alternative ideas and held the government accountable.
Dene Smuts: Her Personal Life
Dene Smuts had two children.
Dene Smuts: Her Death and What She Left Behind
Dene Smuts passed away on 21 April 2016 in Cape Town. When the Democratic Alliance announced her death, they called her "a great parliamentarian and defender of the Constitution." This shows how much they valued her work.
Just a few days before she died, she finished writing her memoir. A memoir is a book about a person's life experiences. Her book was called Patriots & Parasites: South Africa and the Struggle to Evade History. It was published after her death in 2016. The book shares her thoughts on the period when South Africa changed from Apartheid to democracy.
Dene Smuts's impact is remembered through the Dene Smuts Memorial Scholarship Fund. This fund was set up at Stellenbosch University. It helps students who want to study human rights and Constitutional Law.
At her public memorial service, Mmusi Maimane, the leader of the Democratic Alliance, spoke about her. He said that Dene believed everyone should be accountable to their conscience, their country, their Constitution, and their voters. He added that few South Africans lived up to these standards as much as she did.
