Piet Junius
Piet Junius | |
|---|---|
| Born | Petrus Matheus Junius 1941 Rehoboth, South West Africa (modern-day Namibia) |
| Died | 3 April 2021 (age 79) |
| Resting place | Kurunab Farm |
| Political party | Democratic Turnhalle Association |
| Spouse | Nelly Junius |
Petrus "Piet" Matheus Junius (1941 – 3 April 2021) was a Namibian politician who served as the Deputy Education Minister of the Interim Namibian Government from 1985 to 1989.
Junius also served as vice-president of the Democratic Turnhalle Association between 1985 and 1989.
Life and death
[edit]Junius was born in Rehoboth, South West Africa in 1941. Junius attended the Teachers Training College in Johannesburg, South Africa, graduating with a diploma. He went on to work as both a farmer and a teacher in Namibia.[1]
In 1971, alongside Ben Africa and John McNab, Junius founded the Rehoboth Baster Association (RBA). The RBA sought to represent Baster interests in the Rehoboth region.[1] In 1977, the RBA merged with the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance to create the Popular Democratic Movement.[2]
Junius served as the Deputy Minister for National Education and Public Service in the cabinet of the Transitional Government of National Unity between 1985 and 1989.[1][3]
Throughout the same period, Junius served as vice-chairman of the Democratic Turnhalle Association (DTA). He was expelled from the RBA in 1986, becoming the leader of the Progressive People's Party in the same year.[1] In 1989, Junius founded, and became president of, the Christian Democratic Party.[4] At the same time, he became a member of the Namibian Constituent Assembly. From 1990 to 2003, Junius was a member of the Namibian lower house, the National Assembly, representing the DTA.
In 2018, Junius was elected as the president of the United People's Movement - the political organization of the Baster people.[5] On 3 April 2021, Junius died from a coronavirus-induced heart attack, in Windhoek, at the age of 79.[3] He was buried on his Kurunab farmstead, about 37 miles south of Rehoboth.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Junius, Petrus Matheus. In: Africa Who's Who. Africa Books, London 1991, S. 856.
- ^ Dierks, Klaus (17 March 2022). "Chronology, 1971". www.klausdierks.com. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
- ^ a b Koerant, Republikein-Jou Land, Jou Taal, Jou; Booysen, Dani (2021-04-06). "Politieke strydros van Rehoboth groet". Republikein (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 2022-03-17.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Dierks, Klaus (17 March 2022). "Chronology, 1989". www.klausdierks.com. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
- ^ Namibian, The. "Junius elected UPM president". The Namibian. Retrieved 2022-03-17.