Japie BassonPolitician and Author of memoirs
Jacob Daniel Du Plessis Basson was born on 25 July 1918, at
Paarl. In 1936 he
started his studies at Stellenbosch University (BA in Law). He was
drawn to active politics and political journalism and served as campus
news correspondent for the Cape Afrikaans daily, Die Suiderstem,
which was at the time a United Party government supporting afternoon
newspaper.
In 1939 he was appointed as a professional organizer for the UP in
Paarl, initiated and edited the political monthly, Nasiebou,
which was incorporated in Die Suiderstem a year later. Japie
joined their editorial staff (editor: A H Jonker) as a
political reporter and columnist in 1940, soon to be seconded to the
Parliamentary Press Gallery to report the parliament proceedings. In
1942 he
was appointed full-time organizer for the governing party's Union Youth
Front,
initiating and editing its organ, Unie-Jeug/Union Youth, until
Sakkie Perold was invited to take over.
Japie Basson was elected as a MP for Namib, South West Africa,
1950-1961, MP
for Bezuidenhout, Johannesburg, 1961-1980, and thereafter served in the
President's Council for almost seven years. He sat as an independent MP
for a
few years, 1959-1961, founding his own political home, the National
Union,
and initiated two supporting political weeklies, Werda, in
Johannesburg and S W Bulletin in Windhoek.
During his thirty year parliamentary life he contributed numerous
invited
articles and chapters on political and constitutional affairs to
newspapers,
periodicals and books, including a regular weekly column for the Sunday
Times (October 1971 to December 1972)
Japie married Clare Strauss in 1947, and they had two daughters, Caro
and Estée.
Japie Basson died on 8 Augustus 2012 in Cape Town.
Books: Raam en Rigting in die Politiek, en die Storie van Apartheid, Politika,
2004
Politieke Kaarte op die Tafel; Parlementêre Herinneringe, Politika 2006
State of the Nation - As Viewed from a Front Bench in Parliament, 1969-1981, Politika 2008
Steeds op die Parlementêre Kolfblad
www.StellenboschWriters.com © Rosemarie Breuer
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