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This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. It is the product of almost two decades of research and includes analyses, chronologies, historical documents, and interviews from the apartheid and post-apartheid eras.

Fismer, Christiaan Loedolff (Chris)

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Chris Fismer was born in Pretoria, South Africa on 30 September 1956 and matriculated from the Afrikaanse Hoer Seunskool in 1974. He completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Pretoria in 1978, a BLC degree in 1981 and an LLB in 1983. Fismer became active in student politics whilst at university. In his first year he joined the National Party (NP). Fismer served as chairman of the NP's Youth Action in the Transvaal in 1984-85.

After graduating, Fismer worked as a public prosecutor at the Pretoria Magistrate's Court as he had received a bursary from the Department of Justice. He served his national service in 1982 to 1983 and then returned to the Department of Justice. He then completed his articles, qualified as an attorney and joined the Pretoria Bar in 1986. He practiced as an advocate until he was elected to parliament as the member for Rissik in the 1987 general election. Fismer was elected senior Transvaal whip of the NP in 1989.

Fismer was appointed NP representative to the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa) working group dealing with time frames and implementation of decisions in December 1991. In 1993 he was appointed FW de Klerk's parliamentary and political assistant. This post held the rank of Deputy Minister in 1994.

Fismer was returned to parliament in the April 1994 general elections, and in May was appointed Deputy Minister of Justice in the government of national unity (GNU). He was also elected NP leader in the Eastern Transvaal. In January 1995 Fismer was appointed to the position of Minister of General Affairs in the GNU.

Source: Gastrow, S. 1995. Who's Who in South African Politics, Number 5. Ravan Press: Johannesburg.

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