Jan van Wyk

Jan Johannes van Wyk (born 17 October 1967) is a Namibian politician who has served as a Member of the National Assembly of Namibia since 2015, first as a representative for the United People's Movement (UPM) and later for the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) from 2020 onwards. He is the UPM's current vice-president and former national chairperson. Van Wyk represented the UPM on the Rehoboth Town Council from 2010 to 2015 and was the UPM's sole parliamentary representative before the party formed a pact with the PDM ahead of the 2019 general election.

Jan van Wyk

MP
Member of the National Assembly of Namibia
Assumed office
20 March 2015
Personal details
Born
Jan Johannes van Wyk

(1969-10-17) 17 October 1969
Rehoboth, South West Africa
NationalityNamibian
Political partyPopular Democratic Movement (2020–present)
United People's Movement (2010–present)
OccupationMember of Parliament
ProfessionPolitician
CommitteesCommittee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs
Committee on Human Resources and Community Development
Committee on Public Accounts

Early life and career

Van Wyk was born on 17 October 1967 in Rehoboth in South West Africa, now Namibia, and matriculated in 1988. He obtained multiple degrees from Cambridge Tutorial College and the De Montfort University. Prior to becoming active in politics, he worked as a human resources practitioner.[1]

Political career

Van Wyk joined the Rehoboth Democratic Movement, the original name for the United People's Movement (UPM), before the November 2010 local elections and was appointed the party's inaugural national chairperson. He was also elected to the Rehoboth Town Council as one of two UPM councillors. In November 2014, the UPM won a seat in the National Assembly. He filled that seat on 20 March 2015.[1]

In August 2019, the UPM and Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) formed an electoral alliance to challenge the governing South West African Peoples Organisation (SWAPO) ahead of the November general election.[2] The UPM and PDM would remain separate political parties, yet only field candidates under the PDM banner. Van Wyk, now vice-president of the UPM, openly endorsed the candidacy of PDM leader and presidential candidate McHenry Venaani.[3] SWAPO retained their majority and Van Wyk was re-elected as the PDM's support surged.[4] He took office for his second term on 20 March 2020.[5]

References
  1. "Namibia: Meet Jan Van Wyk, UPM's Representative in Parliament". All Africa. 8 December 2014. Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  2. "PDM, UPM sign coalition agreement". NBC. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  3. Hartman, Andy (28 October 2019). "UPM throws weight behind Venaani". The Namibian. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  4. "Namibia's President Hage Geingob wins re-election". BBC News. 1 December 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  5. "Members of the 7th National Assembly". neweralive.na. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
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