Verwoerd, Hendrik (Frensch)

South African right-wing Nationalist Party politician, prime minister 1958–66. As minister of native affairs 1950–58, he was the chief promoter of apartheid legislation (segregation by race). He banned the African National Congress (ANC) in 1960 and withdrew South Africa from the Commonwealth in 1961, making the country a republic. He was assassinated in 1966.

Born in the Netherlands, Verwoerd was educated in South Africa, the Netherlands, and Germany. After beginning an academic career in sociology, he became editor of the nationalist Die Transvaler in 1937 and stood as a National Party candidate in the 1948 election. Having failed to gain a seat he was appointed to the Senate, which he led until he was elected to parliament in 1958.