Name Denis Worrall Role South African Politician | Party Independent Party | |
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Born 29 May 1935 (age 88)
Benoni, Gauteng ( 1935-05-29 ) Alma mater University of Cape Town Organizations founded Democratic Party, Independent Party Similar People Tony Leon, Helen Zille, Harry Schwarz | ||
Education University of Cape Town | ||
Denis John Worrall (born 29 May 1935 in Benoni, Gauteng) is a South African academic, businessman, and former politician and diplomat.
He was appointed as a Senator for the Cape Province in 1974, representing the National Party. He was subsequently elected to the House of Assembly as MP for Cape Town Gardens. He was chairman of the Constitutional Committee of the President's Council until 1982., and was Ambassador to Australia from 1982 to 1984 and then Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1984 to 1987.
As a member of the NP's moderate faction, Worrall objected to the shift from reform to security after 1985. He resigned his post in order to return to South Africa and enter politics again, forming the liberal anti-apartheid Independent Party with Wynand Malan in 1988. Standing as an independent against the senior government minister Chris Heunis in the Helderberg constituency in the 1987 election, he lost by 39 votes. He subsequently became one of the three co-leaders of the Democratic Party, and won the Berea constituency for the DP in the 1989 election.
Worrall taught at universities in South Africa (University of Natal and University of the Witwatersrand), Nigeria, and the United States and edited the first general textbook on the South African government and politics.
Worrall is the former Vice Chairman of the International Bank of Southern Africa, former chairman of the Australian mining company Crown Diamonds N.L., director of several other companies and a consultant to the World Bank and several multinational corporations.