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This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. It is the product of almost two decades of research and includes analyses, chronologies, historical documents, and interviews from the apartheid and post-apartheid eras.

Hartzenberg, Ferdinand (Ferdi)

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Hartzenberg was born in 1936 in Lichtenburg and was educated at Sannieshof Primary School and the Hoër Volkskool in Potchefstroom. At Pretoria University he obtained the following degrees: BSc (Agriculture) , MSc (Agriculture), DSc (Agriculture). He played an active role on the Students' Representative Council and the Afrikaanse Studentebond and worked for the National party (NP) during election campaigns.

From 1959-60 he served as secretary of the NP divisional council for Rissik and later served on the divisional council for Lichtenburg. In 1964 he was nominated as a candidate for the Transvaal Provincial Council and won the seat the following year. In 1970 he became MP for Lichtenburg.

In 1976 he was appointed Deputy Minister of Development, and in 1979 he was promoted to the position of Minister of Education & Training, a post he held until March 1982 when he resigned to join Andries Treurnicht's breakaway Conservative Party.

Hartzenberg has been the leader of the white right-wing Conservative Party since 1993, but the party's fortunes have declined dramatically during his tenure.

He continues to farm and live on the family farm.

Sources: Gastrow, S. 1995. Who's Who in South African Politics, Number 5. Ravan Press: Johannesburg.

Peter Joyce, A Concise Dictionary of South African Biography (1999) Cape Town. Francolin

This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. Return to theThis resource is hosted by the site.