Roger Burrows

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Roger Burrows
Member of the Executive Council of KwaZulu-Natal for Economic Development and Tourism
In office
29 November 2002 – 23 April 2004
PremierLionel Mtshali
Preceded byMike Mabuyakhulu
Succeeded byMike Mabuyakhulu
Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature
In office
1994–2009
Member of Parliament for Pinetown
In office
1984–1994
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born(1945-04-08)8 April 1945
Died14 November 2025(2025-11-14) (aged 80)
NationalitySouth African
Political partyDemocratic Alliance
Other political
affiliations		Democratic Party
Progressive Federal Party
SpouseSue Burrows
ProfessionEducator, politician

Roger Marshall Burrows (8 April 1945 – 14 November 2025) was a South African politician and educator. A member of multiple political parties, Burrows was elected the Member of Parliament for Pinetown in 1984. He was later elected to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature for the Democratic Party, which later evolved into the Democratic Alliance. He served a stint in the Executive Council of KwaZulu-Natal as a Member of the Executive Council from 2002 until 2004 before retiring from politics in 2009.

Early life and career

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Burrows was born on 8 April 1945.[1] He qualified as a teacher and worked as one for 12 years before serving as the general secretary of the Natal Teachers' Union, now known as the Association of Professional Educators, for four years. In 1984, he was elected to the House of Assembly of South Africa for the Pinetown constituency as a member of the Progressive Federal Party, which later became the Democratic Party in 1989 and then the Democratic Alliance in 2000.[2]

He was elected to the newly established KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in the 1994 general election and re-elected subsequently. He served as the party's caucus leader in the legislature as well as the party's provincial leader.[2] In 1996, he assisted future Democratic Alliance politician Mbali Ntuli's family and Ntuli cited Burrows's values as to why she later decided to join the DA.[3]

On 29 November 2002, Burrows was appointed to the Executive Council, the provincial cabinet of KwaZulu-Natal, as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Economic Development and Tourism by premier Lionel Mtshali of the Inkatha Freedom Party, replacing African National Congress member Mike Mabuyakhulu. The IFP and DA then formed a coalition government to govern the province.[4][5] He attended his first provincial cabinet meeting in early-December 2002.[6]

As MEC, he supported an industrial strategy for KwaZulu-Natal and emphasised black economic empowerment as well as the development of small, medium and micro enterprises as being a key part of the industrial strategy.[7] He received the Public Service Commission's independent report into allegations of corruption and maladministration made against several senior staff members at the provincial department of economic development and tourism in January 2004.[8] He was not reappointed to the Executive Council following the election that was held later that year and was succeeded by his predecessor, Mike Mabuyakhulu.[9]

Burrows announced his retirement as DA provincial leader ahead of the party's provincial congress in August 2006.[2] As provincial leader of the DA, he grew the party from winning two seats in the 1994 general election to winning 7 seats in the 2004 general election.[10][11] Burrows was described as having social democratic principles instead of the liberal principles that most of the members of the DA caucus in the legislature adhered to.[12]

He continued serving in the provincial legislature until 2009 general election and was succeeded by John Steenhuisen as the leader of the DA caucus in the legislature.[13]

Personal life and death

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Burrows was married to Sue, who served as a councillor in the South Central local council in Durban.[12]

Burrows died following a long illness on 14 November 2025, at the age of 80. DA leader John Steenhuisen paid tribute to him.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "General Notice: Notice 1319 of 1999 – Electoral Commission: Representatives Elected to the Various Legislatures" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 408, no. 20203. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 11 June 1999. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "DA says goodbye to KZN leader". IOL. 15 August 2006. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  3. ^ Reporter, Citizen (7 February 2020). "Mbali Ntuli's four reasons for why she should be the next DA leader". The Citizen. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  4. ^ "Mtshali drops bombshell on ANC". IOL. 29 November 2002. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  5. ^ "allAfrica.com -- South Africa [analysis]: Mbeki Tested As Natal Sacks ANC Ministers". allafrica.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2002. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  6. ^ Khumalo, Sipho (4 December 2002). "Two DA MECs attend first cabinet meeting". IOL. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  7. ^ "New industrial strategy on cards for KZN - eProperty News". eprop.co.za. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  8. ^ Madlala, Bheko (8 January 2004). "Burrowing to the bottom of KZN corruption". IOL. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  9. ^ "South Africa: First ANC Premier Elected in KZN". All Africa. 23 April 2004. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  10. ^ "NPE 1994" (PDF). elections.org.za. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  11. ^ "Detailed Results: 1994" (PDF). elections.org.za. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  12. ^ a b Francis, Suzanne (2011). Institutionalizing elites: political elite formation and change in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature. Brill, Leiden University. p. 105-170. ISBN 9789004224094. OL 51920875M. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011.
  13. ^ Khumalo, Sipho (9 August 2001). "KZN legislature to feature many new faces". IOL. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  14. ^ Gerber, Jan (14 November 2025). "Former DA KZN leader Roger Burrows dies". News24. Retrieved 14 November 2025.