NP Secretary-General Stoffel Van der Merwe resigns

Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Former Minister of Education and professor of political science at the Rand Afrikaans University, Stoffel van der Merwe (52), who left the cabinet at the request of President F.W. de Klerk to take up the appointment of National Party (NP) secretary-general, a post which he held for only thirteen months, resigned citing ill-health and exhaustion as reason. He was quoted in the Citizen saying: My batteries have run down. He was a key element in De Klerk's strategy of turning the NP into a vehicle which represented the aspirations of moderate South Africans of all races and which could win a democratic election. He was reported to have become frustrated and disillusioned with the transition process and to have had recurring bouts of depression.

How we know this

01Keesing's Record of World Events, News Digest for October 1993, P 39178.
02https://www.ligstryders.org/roca/19921147.htm

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). NP Secretary-General Stoffel Van der Merwe resigns. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013061

South African History Online (2011) 'NP Secretary-General Stoffel Van der Merwe resigns', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013061 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

South African History Online, NP Secretary-General Stoffel Van der Merwe resigns [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013061, (accessed 12 October 2026).

"NP Secretary-General Stoffel Van der Merwe resigns." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013061. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "NP Secretary-General Stoffel Van der Merwe resigns." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013061.