Chris Heunis
| Jan Christiaan Heunis | |
|---|---|
 |
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| State President of South Africa (acting) | |
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In office 19 January 1989 – 15 March 1989 |
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| Minister of Constitutional Development | |
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In office 1982–1989 |
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| President | F. W. de Klerk |
| Minister of Home Affairs | |
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In office 1980–1982 |
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| Prime Minister | P. W. Botha |
| Minister of Transport | |
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In office February 1979 – June 1979 |
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| Minister of the Environment | |
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In office November 1978 – June 1979 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
20 April 1927 Uniondale, Union of South Africa |
| Died | 27 January 2006 (aged 78) Somerset West, South Africa |
| Political party | National Party |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Jan Christiaan 'Chris' Heunis (20 April 1927 – 27 January 2006) was a South African Afrikaner lawyer, politician, member of the National Party and cabinet minister in the governments of John Vorster and P.W. Botha.
He was born in 1927 in Uniondale in the Cape Province (now the Western Cape). After studying in George, he continued his studies in law and became a lawyer in 1951. At the same time, he pursued a political career and became head of the National Party in George District and a member of the municipal council. In 1959, he was elected to the Provincial Council.
Heunis was elected to the House of Assembly in 1970, and in 1974 became Minister of Indian Affairs and Tourism in the government of John Vorster. In 1975, he became Minister of Economic Affairs. In 1979, as part of the P W Botha Government, he participated in the preparation of a new constitution, and in 1982, became Minister of Constitutional Reform. In this role, he put in place the Tricameral Parliament, gave the right to vote to the Coloureds and Indians, in separate chambers of the South African Parliament. He convinced the leader of the Labour Party, Allan Hendrickse, to agree to this reform.
During this time, he took part in confidential informal interviews in Port Elizabeth between two NP representatives, and two representatives from the ANC. In September 1986, Heunis was unanimously voted leader of the NP in the Cape Province, taking over from President P.W. Botha.
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