Leader of the Opposition (South Africa)

The leader of the opposition in South Africa is the leader of the largest political party in the National Assembly that is not in government. The House of Assembly was the most important House from 1910 to 1994 and the National Assembly from 1994. The leader of the opposition acts as the public face of the opposition, leading the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet and the challenge to the government on the floor of Parliament. They thus act as a chief critic of the government and ultimately attempt to portray the opposition as a feasible alternate government.

The position of opposition leader in the National Assembly is currently held by John Hlophe of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), who was appointed on 25 June 2024.

In the list below, when the office is said to be vacant, there was no opposition party with more than ten seats and no clear leader of the opposition has been identified. This was the case between the formation of the Hertzog–Smuts coalition in 1933 and the breakaway of the Purified National Party (GNP) in 1934. It was also the case during the Government of National Unity between 1994 and 1996, when the National Party (NP) withdrew.

In the case of the Democratic Alliance (DA), the leader of the opposition may have been the Parliamentary leader only, during a vacancy in the party leadership and the first part of their own tenure, before being confirmed as party leader by a party congress. Athol Trollip and Lindiwe Mazibuko (and Mmusi Maimane for a short period) have been Parliamentary leaders only, whilst the incumbent Federal Leader of the Democratic Alliance, Helen Zille, was not a member of Parliament.

Following the national election in May 2024, the African National Congress (ANC) lost its outright majority for the first time in South Africa’s democratic history. The DA entered the government, the ANC-led Government of National Unity, for the first time. The new MK party, the third biggest political party in the parliament after the ANC and the DA, became the official opposition.

Legal definition Section 56 of the South Africa Act 1909, was amended by Section 1 (b) of the South Africa Act Amendment Act 1946. A salary was provided for the leader of the opposition and the office was given an official definition.

The current Constitution of South Africa makes provision for recognition of the leader of the opposition in Section 57(2):

Rule 21 of the rules of the National Assembly provides in similar words that:

List of leaders of the opposition in South Africa (1910–present) Portrait Leader Political party Term of office 1 Leander Starr Jameson Unionist Party 1910–1912The Times, edition of 24 May 1911, a review of the first session of the Union Parliament. South Africa 1982, Jameson first leader of the Unionist Party in 1910; Unionist Party second largest party in the 1st Union Parliament 2 Thomas Smartt Unionist Party 1912–1920The Unionists gave some support to the South African Party government, so it could continue in office as a minority government from 1915 to 1920. The Times, article of 21 March 1916 confirms that Smartt was still considered to be the leader of the opposition in the 2nd Parliament of the Union. South Africa 1982, page 166. 3 J. B. M. Hertzog National Party 1920–1924 4 Jan Smuts South African Party 1924–1933vacantDuring this interval, Walter Madeley of the Labour Party served as de facto leader of the opposition, being leader of the largest party outside government coalition. 1933–1934 Walter Madeley Labour Party 5 D. F. Malan Purified National Party 1934–1940 J. B. M. Hertzog Reunited National Party 1940 D. F. Malan Reunited National Party 1940–1948 Jan Smuts United Party 1948–1950 6 J. G. N. Strauss United Party 1950–1956 7 Sir De Villiers Graaff United Party 1956–1977 8 Radclyffe Cadman New Republic Party 1977 9 Colin Eglin Progressive Federal Party 1977–1979 10 Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Progressive Federal Party 1979–1986 Colin Eglin Progressive Federal Party 1986–1987 11 Andries Treurnicht Conservative Party 1987–1993 12 Ferdi Hartzenberg Conservative Party 1993–1994vacantDuring this interval, Constand Viljoen of the Freedom Front Plus served as de facto leader of the opposition, being leader of the largest party outside government coalition. 1994–1996 Constand Viljoen Freedom Front Plus 13 F. W. de Klerk National Party 1996–1997 14 Marthinus van Schalkwyk New National Party 1997–1999 15 Tony Leon Democratic Party 1999–2007 Democratic Alliance 16 Sandra Botha Democratic Alliance 2007–2009 17 Athol Trollip Democratic Alliance 2009–2011 18 Lindiwe Mazibuko Democratic Alliance 2011–2014 19 Mmusi Maimane Democratic Alliance 2014–2019 — Annelie Lotriet Democratic Alliance 2019 20 John Steenhuisen Democratic Alliance 2019–2024 21 John Hlophe uMkhonto we Sizwe 2024–present

Notes

Timeline

References The South African Constitution, by H.J. May (3rd edition 1955, Juta & Co) Keesing's Contemporary Archives, various volumes Smuts: A Reappraisal, by Bernard Friedman (George, Allen & Unwin 1975) South Africa 1982 Official Yearbook of the Republic of South Africa, published by Chris van Rensburg Publications