Gert Hanekom

Gerhardus Jacobus 'Gert' Hanekom (30 March 1930—2 December 1999), affectionately known as Oom Gert (Afrikaans: Uncle Gert), was a Namibian politician serving in several ministerial portfolios.

The Honourable
Gert Hanekom
Minister of Environment and Tourism
In office
1995–1997
PresidentSam Nujoma
Preceded byNiko Bessinger
Succeeded byPhilemon Malima
Minister of Finance
In office
1992–1995
PresidentSam Nujoma
Preceded byOtto Herrigel
Succeeded byHelmut Angula
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development
In office
1990–1992
PresidentSam Nujoma
Preceded byposition established
Succeeded byAnton von Wietersheim
Personal details
Born30 March 1930 (1930-03-30)
Redelinghuys, South Africa
Died2 December 1999 (1999-12-03) (aged 69)
Windhoek, Namibia
NationalityNamibia Namibian
Political party SWAPO
Children3
ResidenceWindhoek

Biography

Hanekom was born on 30 March 1930 in Redelinghuys in South Africa's Western Cape.[1] He attended school there and graduated from the University of South Africa as a chartered accountant. He subsequently worked as accountant in the private sector.[2] In 1956 he took up accounting work in Windhoek[1] and founded Hanekom & Kie in 1975, an accounting company that developed into the local PricewaterhouseCoopers dependance.[3]

Although initially a member of the Afrikaner nationalist National Party (NP),[2] Hanekom disassociated with its apartheid policies over time. He and other NP members left and founded Action National Settlement in 1986, a party that later joined the National Patriotic Front.[4] Hanekom worked with SWAPO shortly before Namibian independence and joined the party in 1990.[5]

Hanekom joined the National Assembly in 1990 by appointment of president Sam Nujoma as Namibia's first Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.[5] In 1992 he was moved to the finance portfolio, and in 1995 he became Minister of Environment and Tourism. He served until 1997 when he took over as head of the President's Economic Advisory Council.[6]

Hanekom was ill with cancer and heart problems. He died on 2 December 1999 and was awarded a state funeral.[5]

References
  1. Leistner, Gerhard Max Erich; Esterhuysen, Pieter (1991). Namibia 1990: An Africa Institute Country Survey. Africa Institute of South Africa. p. 227. ISBN 9780798301084.
  2. "Hanekom, Gerhardus J." Parliament of Namibia. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  3. "Buchprüferriese feiert 40-jähriges Bestehen" [Accounting giant celebrates 40 years of existence]. Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 20 October 2015.
  4. Menges, Werner (15 January 2009). "Ex-NP stalwart Van Zijl dies". The Namibian. Windhoek. p. 1. Archived from the original on 11 January 2013.
  5. "State to honour Hanekom". The Namibian. 8 December 1999.
  6. Amupadhi, Tangeni (3 December 1999). "Hanekom dies". The Namibian.


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