Christiaan Willem Smuts
From Roach Busters
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| colspan="2" align="center" | '''[[South_Africa#Prime_Minister|Prime Minister of the]] [[South Africa|Republic of South Africa]]''' | | colspan="2" align="center" | '''[[South_Africa#Prime_Minister|Prime Minister of the]] [[South Africa|Republic of South Africa]]''' | ||
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| - | | colspan="2" align="center" style="font-size: 90%;" | '''In office'''<br>September 19, 2004 — | + | | colspan="2" align="center" style="font-size: 90%;" | '''In office'''<br>September 19, 2004 — August 4, 2007 |
|- | |- | ||
| style="font-size: 90%;" | '''Political party''' || style="font-size: 90%;" | United Party | | style="font-size: 90%;" | '''Political party''' || style="font-size: 90%;" | United Party | ||
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| style="font-size: 90%; width: 33%;" | '''Preceded by''' || style="font-size: 90%;" | Thabo Mbeki | | style="font-size: 90%; width: 33%;" | '''Preceded by''' || style="font-size: 90%;" | Thabo Mbeki | ||
|- | |- | ||
| - | | style="font-size: 90%;" | '''Succeeded by''' || style="font-size: 90%;" | | + | | style="font-size: 90%;" | '''Succeeded by''' || style="font-size: 90%;" | Festus Mogae |
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| colspan="2" | <hr> | | colspan="2" | <hr> | ||
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| - | '''The Honourable Christiaan Willem Smuts''' (b. April 3, 1956) | + | '''The Honourable Christiaan Willem Smuts''' (b. April 3, 1956) was the Prime Minister of the Republic of South Africa from September 19, 2004 through August 4, 2007. He is the leader of the United Party and currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition. |
==Early life== | ==Early life== | ||
Revision as of 11:19, 14 August 2007
| The Honourable Christiaan Willem Smuts | |
| |
| | |
| Prime Minister of the Republic of South Africa | |
| In office September 19, 2004 — August 4, 2007 | |
| Political party | United Party |
| Preceded by | Thabo Mbeki |
| Succeeded by | Festus Mogae |
| | |
| Born | April 3, 1956 Port Elizabeth, Cape Province, South Africa |
| Spouse | Elisabeth Smuts |
| Profession | Politician, lawyer, university professor |
| Religion | Dutch Reformed |
| Languages | Afrikaans, Dutch, English, French |
The Honourable Christiaan Willem Smuts (b. April 3, 1956) was the Prime Minister of the Republic of South Africa from September 19, 2004 through August 4, 2007. He is the leader of the United Party and currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition.
Early life
Smuts's father, Pieter, was reportedly a distant cousin of the famous South African statesman Jan Smuts (though no concrete evidence exists to support this, and most historians believe it to be false). His mother, Kim, was a Dutch nurse who emigrated to South Africa in her late teens. Pieter was a career military officer who fought with distinction and courage during the Second World War and returned from that conflict with a resolutely anti-racist outlook, having witnessed firsthand the barbarity of the National Socialist regime. As such, Pieter was vocal in his support of the liberal/progressive wing of the ruling United Party, particularly men such as Jan Hofmeyr, with whom he became casual friends.
His father and mother met in 1948 and married on June 6, 1950; six years later, Christiaan was born. He was an only child.
to be continued
