Johnny de Lange

Johannes Hendrik "Johnny" de Lange (born 15 January 1958) is a South African politician and lawyer who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly from 1994 to 2014. He served as Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development from 2004 to 2009 and before that, he chaired the Portfolio Committee on Justice from 1994 to 2004.

De Lange is a former anti-apartheid activist and an advocate of the Cape High Court. He left Parliament after the 2014 general election, in which he failed to gain re-election to his seat.

Early life and activism De Lange was born on 15 January 1958 in Eshowe in the former Natal province. His family was Afrikaans and he matriculated at the Afrikaans-medium Hoërskool Port Natal in 1975. In addition, from 1994 to 1996, he was one of the ANC's negotiators at, and a member of the steering committee of, the Constitutional Assembly that drafted and adopted the post-apartheid Constitution. While he was acknowledged as the driving legislative force behind post-apartheid justice reforms, judicial officers, and George Bizos. In 1998, he was suspended from Parliament for one day after a physical fight with opposition MP Manie Schoeman.

Deputy Justice Minister: 2004–2009 After the 2004 general election, President Thabo Mbeki appointed de Lange as Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, in which capacity he deputised Brigitte Mabandla. In 2008, while still in that office, he was appointed by Mbeki to conduct a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system, and he was subsequently appointed to coordinate the implementation of the ambitious seven-point modernisation plan that emerged from the review. He was particularly well known for spearheading judicial reform.

Later positions Pursuant to the 2009 general election, de Lange was re-elected to Parliament, but newly elected President Jacob Zuma appointed Andries Nel to replace him as deputy minister. De Lange remained in Parliament as a backbencher until November 2010, when the ANC nominated him to chair the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs.

In the 2014 general election, de Lange stood for re-election to his legislative seat, but he was ranked 15th on the ANC's provincial-to-national party list in the Western Cape and did not secure a seat. he was reappointed to the same office in 2023 after the party's 55th National Conference.