Hendrik Verwoerd

**Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd** (8 September 1901 – 6 September 1966) was Prime Minister of South Africa from 1958 to 1966. He was the person chiefly responsible for enforcing apartheid, which was established by Daniel Francois Malan.
He was born in the Netherlands. His parents emigrated to South Africa when he was two years old. In 1950, Verwoerd became Minister of Native Affairs (native meant the black Africans in the country). He was Prime Minister from 1958 to 1966, when he was assassinated. Verwoerd was associated with the National Party.

## Biography

Verwoerd is often called the "Architect of Apartheid" for his major role in the apartheid policy when he was the Minister of Native Affairs and later the Prime Minister. Verwoerd once described apartheid as a "policy of good neighbourliness".

On 9 April 1960, a British-born white farmer named David Pratt firstly attempted to assassinate Verwoerd by shooting him with a .22 pistol as revenge for the Sharpeville massacre (which occurred under Verwoerd's leadership) and Verwoerd's major role in the apartheid policy, but Verwoerd survived his first assassination attempt.

In 1960, Verwoerd announced that he planned to hold a referendum in South Africa on whether to remain a Commonwealth realm under the British monarch's rule or become a republic. The South African Parliament (a kind of legislature) voted to present the referendum to the people, and it was held in October. Voters were asked if they wanted to remain under the British monarch's rule, or become a republic. 52% voted to change to a republic. South Africa became a republic on May 31, 1961.

The National Party government under Verwoerd continued to develop the military, and it successfully made new developments in arms production including aircraft, small arms, armed vehicles, and even nuclear weapons.

Three days before his death, Verwoerd held talks with the Prime Minister of the Lesotho, one of the native tribes in South Africa, Chief Leabua Jonathan, at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.  Following the meeting, a joint statement was issued by the two governments with special emphasis on "co-operation without interference in each others' internal affairs".

## Assassination

On 6 September 1966, Verwoerd was stabbed to death with a knife in Cape Town, shortly after entering the House of Assembly at 2:15 pm. A "mestiço" or "coloured" parliamentary messenger from Portuguese Mozambique named Dimitri Tsafendas pulled out a knife and stabbed Verwoerd in the neck and chest four times before other Assembly members restrained him. Members who were also trained as medical practitioners rushed to aid Verwoerd and started giving cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Verwoerd was rushed to Groote Schuur Hospital, but was declared dead upon arrival.

## Infobox (politician)

- **image**: HF Verwoerd Transvaler.jpg
- **name**: Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd
- **order**: 7th
- **office**: Prime Minister of South Africa
- **term start**: 2 September 1958
- **term end**: 6 September 1966
- **president**: Charles Robberts Swart (1961–1966)
- **governor-general**: Ernest George Jansen (1958–1959)
Charles Robberts Swart (1959–1961)
- **monarch**: Elizabeth II (1958–1961)
- **predecessor**: Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom
- **successor**: T. E. Dönges
<small>as Acting Prime Minister</small>
- **birth place**: Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
- **death place**: Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa
- **death cause**: Assassination by stabbing
- **resting place**: Heroes' Acre, Pretoria
- **party**: National Party of South Africa, National Party
- **spouse**: Betsie Schoombie
- **children**: 7
- **occupation**: Politician