P. K. Le Roux

Pieter Mattheus Kruger Le Roux, generally known as P. K. Le Roux (11 November 1904 – 23 June 1985)^[1][2] was a South African National Party politician who served as a Cabinet minister between 1958 and 1968, first as Minister of Water Affairs and Agricultural Technical Services and latterly as Minister of the Interior.

The Honourable P. K. Le Roux
Minister of the Interior
In office 1966–1968
Prime Minister	B. J. Vorster
Preceded by	Jan de Klerk
Succeeded by	Lourens Muller
Minister of Water Affairs and Agricultural Technical Services
In office 1958–1966
Prime Minister	J. G. Strijdom (1958) Hendrik Verwoerd (1958–66)
Preceded by	Paul Sauer (of Agriculture)
Personal details
Born	Pieter Mattheus Kruger le Roux (1904-11-11)11 November 1904 De Rust, Cape Colony
Died	23 June 1985(1985-06-23) (aged 80) Wilderness, Cape Province[1]
Political party	National Party
Alma mater	University of Stellenbosch

Biography

Pieter Mattheus Kruger Le Roux was born on 11 November 1904 at Doornhoek, a farm near De Rust in the vicinity of Oudtshoorn in what was then the Cape Colony. His parents were Gert Cornelis Le Roux and his wife Margaretha. He attended Outeniqua High School in George, then the University of Stellenbosch.^[3]

First elected to parliament in 1948 as the National Party member for Victoria West, Le Roux became the government's Chief Whip in the South African parliament in 1955. He was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister of Water Affairs and Agricultural Technical Services in 1958, shortly before the end of J. G. Strijdom's premiership, and retained this role under Strijdom's successor Hendrik Verwoerd until 1966, when B. J. Vorster became Prime Minister following Verwoerd's assassination. Vorster made Le Roux Minister of the Interior, a post he retained until 1968.^[4]

Election results

Year	Constituency	Candidate	Party	Votes	Percentage	Ref
1943	Bredasdorp	P. V. G. van der Byl	United Party	4,326	56.5%	[5]
		P. M. K. Le Roux	Reunited National Party	3,280	42.9%
1948	Victoria West	P. M. K. Le Roux	National Party	4,260	49.7%	[6]
		J. M. Connan	United Party	4,236	49.4%
1953	Prieska	P. M. K. Le Roux	National Party	4,964	53.9%	[7]
		J. M. Connan	United Party	4,186	45.4%
1958	Oudtshoorn	P. M. K. Le Roux	National Party	6,042	72.3%	[8]
		J. J. Joubert	United Party	2,281	27.3%
1961	Oudtshoorn	P. M. K. Le Roux	National Party	Unopposed	–	[9]
1966	Oudtshoorn	P. M. K. Le Roux	National Party	Unopposed	–	[10]
1970	Oudtshoorn	P. M. K. Le Roux	National Party	Unopposed	–	[11]

References

1. af:PK le Roux
2. "South African ministries, etc".
3. Kruger 1960, p. 8.
4. Uwechue 1977, p. 1223.
5. Schoeman 1977, p. 252.
6. Schoeman 1977, p. 279.
7. Schoeman 1977, p. 328.
8. Schoeman 1977, p. 357.
9. Schoeman 1977, p. 398.
10. Schoeman 1977, p. 429.
11. Schoeman 1977, p. 463.

Bibliography

• Kruger, J. F., ed. (1960). Wie is Wie in Suid-Afrika (in Afrikaans). Johannesburg: Vitae Uitgewers.
• Schoeman, B. M. (1977). Parlementêre verkiesings in Suid-Afrika 1910–1976 (in Afrikaans). Pretoria: Aktuele Publikasies.
• Uwechue, Ralph, ed. (1977). Africa Year Book and Who's Who. London: Africa Journal Limited. ISBN 0-903274-05-1.