Political career Rowan Cronjé

1 political career

1.1 rhodesia
1.2 zimbabwe rhodesia , zimbabwe
1.3 bophuthatswana
1.4 death

political career
rhodesia

in 1966, less year after rhodesia declared independence, cronjé appointed minister of health , minister of labour , social welfare, succeeding ian mclean in both offices. served in these positions until rhodesia dissolved , replaced zimbabwe in 1979. labour minister, oversaw period in rhodesia experiencing shortage of workers on farms. in 1975, cited 36,000 vacancies farm jobs, saying, there no unemployment in rhodesia. fact have labor shortage. dismissed sanctions or rhodesian bush war threat rhodesian economy, insisting late 1978 population growth greater problem.

in 1970, cronjé ran rhodesian parliament charter constituency. running unopposed, elected 1,715 votes. ran reelection in 1974 against neil diarmid campbell housman herbert wilson, winning 1,147 votes, or 92%. ran third term in 1977 against independent candidate leonard george idensohn, winning 1,023 votes, or 90%. during time in parliament, cronjé leader of moderate faction of rhodesian front party.

in 1977, cronjé appointed minister of newly-created ministry of manpower, industrial relations, , social affairs of rhodesia. next year, succeeded denis walker third minister of education of rhodesia. served in both positions until rhodesia dissolved in 1979. in 1978, gibson magarombe appointed serve cronjé co-minister of health , co-minister of education.

as minister of manpower , social affairs, oversaw elections process rhodesia transitioned white minority rule multiracial democracy. in february 1978, cronjé involved in reaching of agreement between rhodesian government , black leaders on future of rhodesian military. in regard rebels fighting government in rhodesian bush war, leaders agreed amnesty declared , guerrillas offered retraining entry existing army.

cronjé said regarding rhodesian bush war, black , white continue fighting until have won war. went on criticize foreign nations involvement in rhodesian peace , transition efforts, challenging britain , united states, , criticizing marxist masters , referring soviet union , china.

zimbabwe rhodesia , zimbabwe

when zimbabwe rhodesia, unrecognized successor state rhodesia, established on 1 june 1979, cronjé named prime minister abel muzorewa deputy minister of lands, natural resources, , rural development. held office until zimbabwe rhodesia s disestablishment on 12 december 1979.

in zimbabwe rhodesia , zimbabwe, 20 of 100 seats in house of assembly in parliament reserved whites, system remained until 1989. cronjé ran election 1 of seats in 1979, winning election unopposed rhodesian front candidate central constituency. reelected in 1980 after running yet again unopposed rf candidate, , served member of parliament until 1985, when chose not run reelection , emigrated south africa shortly after.

bophuthatswana

in 1985, cronjé left zimbabwe , emigrated south africa, became involved in afrikaner volkstaat movement, proposed separate state self-determination afrikaner population in south africa. relocated bophuthatswana, bantustan south african government made independent in 1977 , led president lucas mangope. during transition away apartheid in south in 1990s, mangope administration in bophuthatswana allied afrikaner nationalists, both shared common goal of future south africa of various independent states divided ethnicity. also, during 1980s, personal advisor ciskei government.

in 1986, president mangope appointed cronjé minister of defence, minister of aviation, , minister of foreign affairs (or minister of state) of bophuthatswana. served in 3 positions until bophuthatswana s dissolution in 1994. member of bophuthatswana cabinet, , in capacity defense minister, cronjé @ forefront of bantustan s effort remain independent of post-apartheid south africa, serving chief negotiator south african officials. served chairman of freedom alliance, group brought tribal leaders, bantustan leaders, , conservative white groups each strove self-determination @ beginning of post-apartheid era.

cronjé said in 1993 self-government of bophuthatswana, ve got kids 16 years old never knew apartheid. has restored self-dignity of blacks here. defending large amount of white cabinet members in bophuthatswana, said, [president mangope] has realized first day, run complicated business of government not yet within grasp of people.

as south african government under president f. w. de klerk grew closer reaching agreement african national congress on future government of south africa,so more pressure placed on bophuthatswana, both sides, agree give quasi-independence , reenter south africa. cronjé worked defuse tensions , avoid confrontation south africa, hoping maintain bophuthatswana s independence future. said in 1992, have experienced fruits of independence. give up, there must reasons.

he argued homeland able withstand economic blockade south africa, saying in 1993, ll have tighten our belts , reduce our budget. made clear if south africa tried use force on bophuthatswana rejoin, country fight , have allies defend it, saying, beginning of civil war in south africa.

ultimately, december 1993, bophuthatswana gave ambitions independence , rejoined negotiations south african government , anc. 1994, bophuthatswana merged new south africa, , cronjé s cabinet positions went out of existence.

death

on 11 march 2015, cronjé died in sleep @ home in pretoria, @ age of 76. funeral held on 15 march of year.