DA mourns the passing of democratic stalwart, James Selfe
21 May 2024
The Democratic Alliance (DA) mourns the passing of party stalwart, James Selfe, who passed away late this afternoon. James departed us peacefully, surrounded by family and loved ones, following a lengthy battle with illness.
The DA would like to extend its sincerest condolences to those closest to James, and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Sheila, and three daughters, Chloe, Stephanie, and Emma during this very difficult time.
James Selfe led a quietly influential life in contemporary South African political history, having made an immense contribution to South African democracy. In the late 70s and 80s, James worked tirelessly as a researcher for the DA’s forerunner, the Progressive Federal Party, to combat divisive and regressive apartheid laws by the National Party in parliament. James then served as the party’s communications director, later becoming an executive director.
Upon his election to the National Council of Provinces in 1994 in South Africa’s first democratic parliament, James served in the Constitutional Assembly, participating in the drawing up of South Africa’s democratic Constitution. Over his nearly 30-year parliamentary career, James served on various portfolio committees, most notably the Committee on Justice and Correctional Services where his oversight of South Africa’s judicial system was crucial to ensuring that fairness and accountability were always upheld in South African society.