Sampie Terreblanche

Who is Sampie Terreblanche?

Solomon Johannes "Sampie" Terreblanche is an Afrikaner academic and writer, author of numerous economics books and is most famous for his History of Inequality in South Africa, 1652 - 2002. He is Professor emeritus of Economics at Stellenbosch University, where he has built a reputation as a lecturer in Economic thought and Economic history.

Terreblanche matriculated from Edenville High School in the Orange Free State and went on to study at the University of Stellenbosch. Whilst at Stellenbosch he obtained his Master's Degree and a Doctorate in Philosophy. After which he went on to spend a year at Harvard University in 1968/1969.

Terreblanche lectured at the University of the Orange Free State for eight years. He returned to lecture at Stellenbosch University from 1968 until his retirement in 1995. In the 1980s Terreblanche was involved in clandestine meetings with the ANC and in 1985 he was made chairman of the newly formed "Discussion group '85" at Stellenbosch. In 1987 he quit the National Party due to growing doubts and disagreements with its policies of Apartheid and became one of the government's strongest Afrikaans critics.