Annelie Lotriet (born 8 June 1960) is a South African politician who is currently serving as the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa since June 2024. She has served in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet since she joined the National Assembly in 2009. She is also a Deputy Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Council.
Born in Johannesburg, Lotriet spent the first two decades of her career as an academic in the Free State, teaching at Vista University and then at the University of the Free State. After one term as a local councillor in Mangaung, she entered politics full-time at the 2009 general election. She went on to serve as Shadow Minister of Arts and Culture from 2009 to 2012, Shadow Minister of Higher Education and Training from 2012 to 2014, Shadow Minister of Science and Technology from 2014 to 2019, and DA Caucus Chairperson from 2019 to 2022. Most recently, she was Opposition Deputy Chief Whip from August 2022 to June 2024.
In parallel with her parliamentary activities, Lotriet was DA Provincial Chairperson in the Free State between September 2012 and November 2020. After unsuccessful campaigns for higher leadership in 2018 and 2020, she was elected to deputise Helen Zille as Deputy Chairperson of the DA Federal Council in April 2023.
Early life and education
Born and raised in Johannesburg, Lotriet matriculated at the Hoërskool Linden, an Afrikaans-medium school in Linden. She attended the Rand Afrikaans University, where she completed a B.A. in languages, with concentrations in English and Latin. Thereafter, at the same university, she completed a B.Ed., an M.Ed., and a D.Ed. specialising in higher education. She also holds an L.L.B. from the University of South Africa. She was a member of the student representative council at university and was a member of the Progressive Federal Party in the 1980s.
Academic career
Between 1985 and 1994, Lotriet was a lecturer in the education department at Vista University in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State. Thereafter she moved to the University of the Free State, also in Bloemfontein; entering as a senior lecturer in the Unit for Language Facilitation and Empowerment, she ultimately became a professor and the head of the department of Afroasiatic studies, sign language and language practice. Her research interests included language and multilingualism, and she was involved in training interpreters for government service and for service at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
In tandem with her academic career, Lotriet was a member of the Pan South African Language Board, a president of Free State Aquatics, and, from 1985 to 2000, a member of the board of directors of OFM. She joined the Democratic Party in 1999, and in 2000 she was elected to represent the Democratic Alliance (DA) as a ward councillor in Mangaung, Free State. She served six years as a councillor.
National Assembly
Fourth Parliament: 2009–2014
Lotriet entered politics full-time after the April 2009 general election, when she was elected to represent the DA in the National Assembly, the lower house of the South African Parliament. She succeeded Désirée van der Walt as Shadow Minister of Arts and Culture in the Shadow Cabinet of Athol Trollip, and in February 2012 she was reshuffled to serve as Shadow Minister of Higher Education and Training in the Shadow Cabinet of Lindiwe Mazibuko. Later in 2012, at a provincial elective congress in Bloemfontein, she was elected to the first of three consecutive terms as provincial chairperson of the DA's Free State branch, serving under newly elected provincial leader Patricia Kopane.
Fifth Parliament: 2014–2019
After her re-election to the National Assembly in the May 2014 general election, Lotriet was appointed as Shadow Minister of Science and Technology in the Shadow Cabinet of Mmusi Maimane. She also represented the DA in the ad hoc constitutional review committee established by Parliament to debate land expropriation without compensation. She was re-elected to her position as DA provincial chairperson in April 2015 and October 2017 respectively.
In the interim, and while still holding her Free State role, she launched an unsuccessful bid to enter the party's national leadership, standing for election as the DA's federal chairperson in 2018. She came in third place in the race, behind the incumbent, Athol Trollip, and Tshwane Mayor Solly Msimanga.
Sixth Parliament: 2019–2024
Pursuant to the May 2019 general election, Lotriet was one of two candidates nominated to succeed Anchen Dreyer as chairperson of the DA's parliamentary caucus. On 30 May, she beat Alf Lees to gain election to the position, and Haniff Hoosen was elected as her deputy. During Parliament's opening sessions, the DA nominated her to stand as the National Assembly's house chairperson for committees, but the motion received only the DA's support and was defeated by 205 votes to 83; the African National Congress's Cedric Frolick was re-elected instead.
In that capacity, she served briefly as acting Leader of the Opposition in October 2019 after Mmusi Maimane's unexpected resignation from the DA. Thereafter she returned to her position as caucus chairperson in the Shadow Cabinet of John Steenhuisen, who was elected to succeed Maimane. At the DA's next federal congress in November 2020, she stood unsuccessfully for election as deputy federal chairperson of the DA, alongside Refiloe Nt'sekhe, Anton Bredell, and Jacques Smalle. Because there were only four candidates for three deputy chair positions, Lotriet was the only candidate not to win election. Later that month, she also ceded her provincial leadership role to Werner Horn, who was elected to succeed her as the DA's Free State provincial chairperson.
In August 2021, the DA nominated Lotriet to serve as Speaker of the National Assembly, a position recently vacated by Thandi Modise. She was defeated in a vote by the African National Congress candidate, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who won 199 votes to Lotriet's 82. Lotriet continued to serve as DA caucus chairperson, gaining re-election in the DA's internal midterm elections in December 2021, and during this period she also represented the DA in the parliamentary committee that recommended Busisiwe Mkhwebane's impeachment. In August 2022, after a shadow cabinet reshuffle, she was elected unopposed as the DA's deputy chief whip, under newly appointed chief whip Siviwe Gwarube.
At the DA's next federal congress in Johannesburg in April 2023, Lotriet stood for election as deputy chairperson of the DA Federal Council, this time as one of seven candidates. She won election on 2 April. She, Thomas Walters, and Ashor Sarupen serve as the trio of deputy chairpersons under chairperson Helen Zille.
Seventh Parliament: 2024–present
Lotriet was re-elected to her parliamentary seat in the May 2024 general election. On 14 June 2024, she was elected Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of the South Africa, Lotriet is the first non-ANC member to hold this position since B.G. Ranchod, who served as Deputy Speaker between 1994 and 1996.
Personal life
She is married to Pieter Lotriet, with whom she has four adult sons.
References
- Zeeman, Kyle (14 June 2024). "JUST IN: DA's Annelie Lotriet elected Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly". The Citizen. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- ^ "Our people: Annelie Lotriet". Democratic Alliance. Archived from the original on 21 September 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- ^ "Dr Annelie Lotriet". Democratic Alliance. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- ^ "MP Corner: Dr Annelie Lotriet (DA)". People's Assembly. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- "UFS academic leaves for national parliament". University of the Free State. 28 May 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- "Zille's shadow cabinet has nine women". IOL. 15 May 2009. Archived from the original on 19 May 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Mazibuko, Lindiwe (1 February 2012). "DA: Statement by Lindiwe Mazibuko, Democratic Alliance Parliamentary leader, on the new shadow cabinet". Polity.org.za. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- Dlodlo, Cathy (16 September 2012). "New Free State DA boss elected". City Press. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- "Kopane sees DA in power by 2019". Free State Times. 21 September 2012. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- "The DA's shadow cabinet – Mmusi Maimane". PoliticsWeb. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Nhlabathi, Hlengiwe (6 April 2018). "DA needs to tackle its problems, says only female contender for federal chair". City Press. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- "Changes to constitution for land expropriation get nod from MPs". Sowetan. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Wakefield, Adam (19 April 2015). "DA announces Free State leadership". News24. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- "DA Free State Leadership announced". News24. 29 October 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- "DA to gun for renegades at conference". The Mail & Guardian. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- ^ "DA promises to turn South Africa blue". The Mail & Guardian. 7 April 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Madia, Tshidi (8 April 2018). "Athol Trollip re-elected as DA federal chairperson". News24. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Gerber, Jan (30 May 2019). "DA to elect caucus leadership". News24. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Gerber, Jan (30 May 2019). "DA elects new caucus leadership, Mike Waters won't return as deputy chief whip". News24. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Gerber, Jan (27 June 2019). "Frolick elected chair of chairs after failed DA bid to oust him". News24. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Gerber, Jan (24 October 2019). "DA to elect new parliamentary leader next week, Steenhuisen no longer chief whip – for now". News24. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Gerber, Jan (13 October 2020). "DA announces leadership candidates". News24. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Nkosi, Nomazima (1 November 2020). "Steenhuisen elected new DA leader". Herald. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- "DA Free State Leadership Election Results". Democratic Alliance. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- "Mapisa-Nqakula elected as speaker of parliament". The Mail & Guardian. 19 August 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Gerber, Jan (2 December 2021). "Gwarube elected as DA's deputy chief whip". News24. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Gerber, Jan (7 April 2021). "Parliament names committee which will determine Mkhwebane's fate, RET faction snubbed". News24. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- "DA welcomes the election of Dr Annelie Lotriet as DA Deputy Chief Whip". Democratic Alliance. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Felix, Jason (15 March 2023). "DA elective congress: Here are the candidates battling for leadership positions". News24. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Felix, Jason (2 April 2023). "Steenhuisen crowned DA head, beating Mpho Phalatse to lead party in 2024 elections". News24. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Thale, Neo (14 June 2024). "BREAKING: DA's Annelie Lotriet is the new deputy speaker of Parliament". The South African. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- Dentlinger, Lindsay (14 June 2024). "DA's Lotriet pitted against ATM's Zungula for Deputy Speaker". Eytewitness News. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- "Former Presiding Officers". Retrieved 14 June 2024.
External links
- Dr Annelie Lotriet at People's Assembly
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