Carl Niehaus is a South African politician and former spokesperson for the African National Congress (ANC).
He was born on May 29, 1959, in Pretoria, South Africa.
Niehaus was an anti-apartheid activist and served as a member of the ANC’s military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, during the struggle against apartheid.
After the end of apartheid, Niehaus held various positions within the ANC, including serving as the spokesperson for the party.
However, he was expelled from the ANC in 2013 for bringing the party into disrepute after he admitted to lying about his academic qualifications and financial affairs.
Niehaus has since been involved in various political movements and organizations, including the uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA), which he currently chairs.
He has also been a vocal supporter of former South African President Jacob Zuma and has defended him against corruption charges.
Niehaus has been a controversial figure in South African politics, with some accusing him of being a divisive and opportunistic politician.
However, he remains a prominent figure in the country’s political landscape.
Carl Niehaus first wife
Niehaus was married to Jansie Lourens in 1986, who had recruited him into the armed struggle against apartheid.
The two were both sentenced to four years in prison for the same treason plot.
Niehaus had incriminated himself and Lourens by unknowingly using a police-issued camera to photograph the intended target while traveling in a police vehicle and then confiding his act to a police informant.
Lourens was born in 1958 in Pretoria, South Africa.
She was a freedom fighter who was involved in the anti-apartheid struggle in the 1980s.
Lourens was a member of the African National Congress (ANC) and was arrested in 1985 for her involvement in a plot to overthrow the apartheid government.
She was sentenced to four years in prison and was released in 1989.
Niehaus and Lourens divorced in 2002, and Niehaus married Linda Thango.
