Thomas Walters (South African politician)

Thomas Charles Ravenscroft Walters is a South African politician. He has been serving as a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa since May 2014, representing the opposition Democratic Alliance. He previously served as a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature from 2009 to 2014. In 2012, Walters was elected Deputy Federal Council Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance, and is currently serving alongside Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille since 2019. He previously served alongside James Selfe. He was the party's Shadow Minister and Shadow Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform.[1]

The Honourable

Thomas Walters

MP
Deputy Federal Council Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance
Assumed office
25 November 2012
Serving with Natasha Mazzone
LeaderJohn Steenhuisen (interim)
Mmusi Maimane
Helen Zille
ChairpersonHelen Zille
James Selfe
Member of the National Assembly
Assumed office
21 May 2014
Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature
In office
6 May 2009 – 6 May 2014
Personal details
NationalitySouth African
Political partyDemocratic Alliance
OccupationPolitician

Early life and career

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

He was 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 Democratic Alliance councillor.

Walters was elected to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in May 2009. He was appointed the party's Provincial Spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development. In November 2009, he was elected Provincial Chairperson of the Gauteng Democratic Alliance. 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 Federal Council Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance. He defeated John Steenhuisen for the position. Walters has since been re-elected two times: in 2015, and again in 2018.[5][6][7]

In May 2014, Walters was elected to the National Assembly of South Africa. He took office as a Member on 21 May 2014. In June 2014, Parliamentary Leader of the Democratic Alliance Mmusi Maimane appointed Walters to the post of Shadow Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform. Walters was later demoted to the post of Shadow Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform. He soon left the Shadow Cabinet in June 2019.[8][9]

In October 2019, Walters declared his intention to contest the DA Federal Council chairpersonship election after James Selfe had announced his retirement.[10] Helen Zille won the election.[11]

References
  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. The DA's shadow cabinet - Mmusi Maimane, Politicsweb. Retrieved on 30 March 2019.
  9. Here's the DA's 'shadow cabinet'. Retrieved on 5 June 2019.
  10. Nkosi, Nomazima; Capa, Siyamtanba; De Kock, Rochelle; Kimberley, Michael (19 October 2019). "Battle for top DA job". HeraldLIVE. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  11. "Helen Zille wins vote for top DA job". TimesLIVE. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
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