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Thomas Walters (South African politician)

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The Honourable
Thomas Walters
MPP
Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
13 June 2024
Deputy Chairperson of the Federal Council of the Democratic Alliance
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 November 2012
LeaderJohn Steenhuisen
Mmusi Maimane
Helen Zille
ChairpersonHelen Zille
James Selfe
Member of the National Assembly
In office
21 May 2014 – 28 May 2024
Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature
In office
6 May 2009 – 6 May 2014
Personal details
Born (1976-01-30) 30 January 1976 (age 48)
NationalitySouth African
Political partyDemocratic Alliance
OccupationPolitician

Thomas Charles Ravenscroft Walters (born 30 January 1976) is a South African politician of the Democratic Alliance (DA) who has been serving as a Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament since May 2024. Previously, he served as a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature from 2009 to 2014 and then as a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa from 2014 until 2024. In 2012, Walters was elected Deputy Federal Council Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance, and has been deputising Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille since 2019. He deputised James Selfe from 2012 to 2019. Walters was the party's Shadow Minister and Shadow Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform.[1]

Early life and career

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Thomas Walters obtained a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Stellenbosch. He also completed the Management Advancement Programme at the Wits Business School. He later attained a Masters of Business Administration from the Gordon Institute of Business Science and the University of Pretoria's Business School.[2]

Political career

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Walters was a student leader of the now-defunct Democratic Party. He had also served as the Democratic Alliance's Federal Youth Chairperson. He was later elected to the Johannesburg City Council as a DA councillor.

Walters was elected to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in April 2009. He was appointed the party's Provincial Spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development. In November 2009, he was elected Provincial Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance in Gauteng. Walters stood down as Provincial Chairperson in March 2012, and Mike Moriarty was elected to succeed him.[3][4]

In November 2012, Walters was elected Deputy Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance Federal Council, defeating John Steenhuisen.[5][6][7]

During the 2014 general election that was held on 7 May, Walters was elected to the National Assembly of South Africa. He was sworn in as an MP on 21 May 2014. In June 2014, the Parliamentary Leader of the Democratic Alliance, Mmusi Maimane, appointed Walters as Shadow Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform. Walters was later demoted to Shadow Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform.

In 2015, he was re-elected as deputy chairperson of the DA's Federal Council. He won another term at the party's 2018 Federal Congress.[8] Also, at the 2018 Federal Congress, DA delegates voted to add another deputy chairperson to the Federal Council and Natasha Mazzone was elected to fill the position.[9] Walters left the Shadow Cabinet in June 2019.[10][11]

In October 2019, Walters declared his intention to contest the DA Federal Council chairpersonship election after James Selfe had announced his retirement.[12] Helen Zille won the election.[13]

He was re-elected as a deputy chairperson of the DA Federal Council at the party's elective congress in October 2020. He now served alongside James Masango and Ashor Sarupen (later elected in a special election). Helen Zille remained the chairperson of the federal council.[14]

Walters gained re-election to another term as deputy federal chairperson of the DA Federal Council in 2023.[15]

Walters was elected to the Western Cape Provincial Parliament in the 2024 provincial election.[16]

References

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  1. ^ Thomas Walters, Democratic Alliance. Retrieved on 30 March 2019.
  2. ^ South African party leader qualifications: ANC vs DA vs EFF, BusinessTech, 26 November 2018. Retrieved on 30 Marc
  3. ^ Moodey to lead Gauteng DA again, IOL, 2 November 2009. Retrieved on 30 March 2019.
  4. ^ DA elects new Gauteng leadership, IOL, 10 March 2012. Retrieved on 30 March 2019.
  5. ^ DA voting completed, IOL, 25 November 2012. Retrieved on 30 March 2019.
  6. ^ Maimane elected new DA leader, News24. Retrieved on 30 March 2019.
  7. ^ DA announces new leadership, Maimane remains Federal leader, SABC News. Retrieved on 30 March 2019.
  8. ^ Nicolson, Greg (8 April 2018). "DA Federal Congress: Trollip wins DA federal chair race but next hurdle – surviving a motion of no confidence – is already in sight". The Daily Maverick. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  9. ^ Dreyer, Anchen (27 November 2020). "Natasha Mazzone elected Deputy Chair of Federal Council". Democratic Alliance. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  10. ^ The DA's shadow cabinet - Mmusi Maimane, Politicsweb. Retrieved on 30 March 2019.
  11. ^ Here's the DA's 'shadow cabinet'. Retrieved on 5 June 2019.
  12. ^ Nkosi, Nomazima; Capa, Siyamtanba; De Kock, Rochelle; Kimberley, Michael (19 October 2019). "Battle for top DA job". HeraldLIVE. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  13. ^ "Helen Zille wins vote for top DA job". TimesLIVE. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  14. ^ Nkosi, Nomazima (1 November 2020). "Steenhuisen elected new DA leader". HeraldLIVE. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Steenhuisen to lead DA in 'crucial' 2024 elections - LNN". Midrand Reporter. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  16. ^ Charles, Marvin. "Western Cape legislature to usher in new faces in major shake-up". News24. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
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