Johnny Schippers
South African politician (1943–2009)
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Johannes "Johnny" Schippers (29 June 1943 – 31 January 2009) was a South African politician from the Western Cape. A former teacher, he served in the National Assembly from 2000 to 2004 and from 2005 to 2009. He was a member of the New National Party (NNP) until September 2005, when he crossed the floor to the African National Congress (ANC).
29 June 1943
Johnny Schippers | |
|---|---|
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 26 August 2005 – May 2009 | |
| Constituency | Western Cape |
| In office 14 August 2000 – April 2004 | |
| Constituency | Western Cape |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Johannes Schippers 29 June 1943 |
| Died | 31 January 2009 (aged 65) |
| Party | African National Congress (since September 2005) |
Other political affiliations | New National Party (until September 2005) |
| Alma mater | University of South Africa University of the Western Cape |
Early life
Schippers was born on 29 June 1943[1] in Tulbagh in the former Cape Province.[2] He held a BA from the University of South Africa and a BEd from the University of the Western Cape, and he was a teacher and school principal by profession.[2] He represented the National Party, the NNP's forerunner, as a local councillor in Tulbagh from 1995 to 1999.[2]
Legislative career: 2000–2009
In the 1999 general election, Schippers stood for the NNP as a candidate for election to the National Assembly's Western Cape caucus,[3] but he was not initially elected. Instead, he joined the assembly on 14 August 2000, replacing Abe Williams.[4] He served as the NNP's spokesman on safety and security during the legislative term that followed.[5]
Schippers was not immediately re-elected in the 2004 general election and again joined the legislature during the legislative term, replacing Cecil Herandien on 26 August 2005.[6] By then, NNP leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk had announced the NNP's intention to disband. The week after being sworn in, during the floor-crossing window, Schippers followed van Schalkwyk and most of the NNP's other representatives in resigning from the NNP and joining the governing ANC.[7] He served the rest of the term under the ANC banner.