View source for Dullah Omar

{{Short description|South African politician}}
{{for|the Hong Kong lawn bowls and field hockey player|Omar Dallah}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use South African English|date=June 2012}}
{{Infobox officeholder
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|name               = Dullah Omar
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|order              = 
|office             = Minister of Transport
|term_start         = 1999
|term_end           = 2004
|president          = [[Thabo Mbeki]]
|predecessor        = [[Mac Maharaj]]
|successor          = [[Jeff Radebe]]
|order2             = 
|office2            = Minister of Justice
|term_start2        = 1994
|term_end2          = 1999
|president2         = [[Nelson Mandela]]
|predecessor2       = [[Kobie Coetsee]]
|successor2         = [[Penuell Maduna]]
|birth_date         = {{Birth date|df=yes|1934|05|26}}
|birth_place        = [[Observatory, Cape Town]], [[Cape Province]], [[Union of South Africa]]
|death_date         = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2004|03|13|1934|05|26}}
|death_place        = 
|birthname          = Abdullah Mohamed Omar
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|nationality        = [[South African people|South African]]
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|alma_mater         = [[University of Cape Town]]
|occupation         = Lawyer
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'''Abdullah Mohamed Omar''' [[Order of Luthuli|OLS]] (26 May 1934 – 13 March 2004), better known as '''Dullah Omar''', was a South African anti-[[Apartheid]] activist, lawyer, and a [[Political minister|minister]] in the South African [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] from 1994 until his death.

==Early life and education==

Born in [[Observatory, Cape Town]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/mar/16/guardianobituaries.southafrica|title=Obituary: Dullah Omar|last=Shaw|first=Gerald|date=2004-03-16|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-10-19}}</ref> to immigrant parents from [[Gujarat]] in western [[India]], Omar attended [[Trafalgar High School (Cape Town)|Trafalgar High School]] in Cape Town.<ref name=iol>[http://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/city-school-trafalgar-turns-100-1.1211509#.U-kHP_ldWpA City School turns 100], iol.co.za, January 2012, retrieved 11 August 2014</ref> He was a respected member of the [[Muslim]] community.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/14/stories/2004031401320900.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050831180506/http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/14/stories/2004031401320900.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2005-08-31|website=[[The Hindu]]|title=South African leader of Indian origin dead|date=2004-03-14|access-date=2018-10-19}}</ref> He attended the [[University of Cape Town]] and graduated with a law degree in 1957.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiansa.wozaonline.co.za/products |title=All things Indian - Nelson Mandela & Indians |accessdate=2013-08-28 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927004830/http://indiansa.wozaonline.co.za/products |archivedate=27 September 2013}}</ref>

==Anti-apartheid activities==

He defended members of the [[Pan Africanist Congress]] (PAC) and [[African National Congress]] (ANC) and was a member of the ''Unity Movement'' throughout the Early 70's and 80's before he joined and became a leading member of the [[United Democratic Front (South Africa)|United Democratic Front]]. He was a [[human rights]] activist throughout his life.

His movement was generally restricted by "banning orders" and he was [[arrest|detained]] without trial repeatedly. He also survived plots by the apartheid government to [[Assassination|assassinate]] him. In 1989, he became a spokesman of [[Nelson Mandela]], during the last months of the latter's imprisonment.

==Government minister==

In 1994, Omar became [[Justice Minister|Minister of Justice]] in South Africa in Nelson Mandela's ANC government, and was the first cabinet minister appointed Acting President in the absence of both the [[President of South Africa|President]] and Deputy President from South Africa. He played a major role in transforming the South African justice system. One of his principal actions was the promulgation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in July 1995 to look into the crimes committed during apartheid and offer platforms for victims and their families to confront the perpetrators, who would in turn be offered amnesty for coming forward. The model served as an inspiration for other post-conflict societies in places such as Sierra Leone and Rwanda.

In 1999, following the election of [[Thabo Mbeki]] as President, Omar became the [[Minister of Transport (South Africa)|Minister of Transport]], a post that he held until his death from [[cancer]].

Of [[Indian South African|Indian]] descent and a lifelong resident of the [[Western Cape Province|Western Cape]], he was married with three children, and was buried with official honours, and in accordance with Muslim rites on the day of his death.

==See also==
*[[List of members of the National Assembly of South Africa who died in office]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040618122242/http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1497718,00.html A biography of Dullah Omar]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040217204102/http://www.anc.org.za/people/omar.html An ANC profile of Omar]

{{SouthAfricaJusticeMinisters}}
{{Nelson Mandela cabinet 1}}
{{Nelson Mandela cabinet 2}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Omar, Dullah}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:South African democracy activists]]
[[Category:South African people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:South African Muslims]]
[[Category:South African politicians of Indian descent]]
[[Category:University of Cape Town alumni]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in South Africa]]
[[Category:African National Congress politicians]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 1994–1999]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 1999–2004]]
[[Category:Justice ministers of South Africa]]
[[Category:South African people of Gujarati descent]]
[[Category:Alumni of Trafalgar High School (Cape Town)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Luthuli]]
[[Category:Ministers of transport of South Africa]]
[[Category:Anti-apartheid activists]]