Denis Worrall

Who is Denis Worrall?

Denis John Worrall is a South African academic, businessman, and former politician and diplomat.

He was appointed as a Senator for the Cape Province in 1974, representing the National Party. He was subsequently elected to the House of Assembly as MP for Cape Town Gardens. He was chairman of the Constitutional Committee of the President's Council until 1982.

He was Ambassador to Australia from 1982 to 1984 and then Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1984 to 1987. He resigned his post in order to return to South Africa and enter politics, standing against the senior government minister Chris Heunis in the Helderberg constituency in the 1987 election, but lost by 39 votes. He formed the liberal anti-apartheid Independent Party with Wynand Malan. He subsequently became one of the three co-leaders of the Democratic Party.

Worrall taught at universities in South Africa, Nigeria, and the United States and edited the first general textbook on the South African government and politics.