Johannes Hendrikus Viljoen

Johannes Hendrikus Viljoen
Viljoen in 1950
Minister of Health
In office
1956–1957
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor GeneralErnest George Jansen
Prime MinisterJ. G. Strijdom
Preceded byTom Naudé
Succeeded byM.D.C. de Wet Nel
Minister of Forestry
In office
1954–1956
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor GeneralErnest George Jansen
Prime MinisterD. F. Malan
J. G. Strijdom
Minister of Social Affairs
In office
1953–1954
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor GeneralErnest George Jansen
Prime MinisterD. F. Malan
J. G. Strijdom
Minister of Education
In office
1950–1957
MonarchsGeorge VI
Elizabeth II
Governors GeneralGideon Brand van Zyl
Ernest George Jansen
Prime MinisterD. F. Malan
J. G. Strijdom
Preceded byC. R. Swart
Succeeded byJan Jonathan Serfontein
Minister of Mines
In office
1950–1953
MonarchsGeorge VI
Elizabeth II
Governors GeneralGideon Brand van Zyl
Ernest George Jansen
Prime MinisterD. F. Malan
Member of the House of Assembly
In office
1948–1957
ConstituencyVryburg
Member of the House of Assembly
In office
1933–1941
ConstituencyHoopstad
Personal details
Born(1893-10-15)October 15, 1893
DiedDecember 5, 1957(1957-12-05) (aged 64)
Resting placeWesselsbron, Orange Free State
PartyNational Party
Other political
affiliations
Afrikaner Party
OccupationPolitician

Johannes Hendrikus Viljoen (15 October 1893 – 5 December 1957) was a South African politician, member of parliament for the constituencies of Hoopstad (1933–1941) and Vryburg (1948–1957), Minister of Mines (1950–1953), Education, Arts and Sciences (1950–1957), Social Affairs (1953–1954), Forestry (1954–1956) and Health (1956–1957) in both Daniël François Malan's and Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom's cabinets.[1][2]

Political career

Viljoen was the son of JH (Jan) Viljoen (1869–1955), a veteran of the Second Boer War and of his wife, Lenie Maré.

Viljoen was successively a member of the National Party, of the United Party (1934–1941), of the Afrikaner Party (1941–1943) then again of the National Party.

After defeating Eben Dönges in the 1938 South African general election, J.H. Viljoen was a supporter of South Africa's neutrality at the outbreak of World War II and a staunch supporter of James Barry Munnik Hertzog.[1]

Death

Aged 64, while a member of the Strijdom government, he died of a long illness in Pretoria on 5 December 1957 and was buried in Wesselsbron in the Orange Free State.[1][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Johannes H. Viljoen of African Cabinet". The New York Times. 6 December 1957. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  2. ^ The Times-News. The Times-News. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Minister Jan Viljoen, boorling van Wesselsbron". wesselsbron.co.za. Retrieved 16 November 2025.