Barend Jacobus du Plessis (born 19 January 1940 in Johannesburg)[1] is a South African retired politician and a former member of the now-dissolved National Party, as well as Minister of Finance in 1984–1992.
Du Plessis's father was an active member of the National Party and a political career was always a part of his aspirations.
After entering his first step in community service in 1972 as an elected official to the Johannesburg City Council, he rapidly advanced himself and was chosen as vice mayor in 1974.
In his first few weeks, he made some controversial statements regarding the SABC 's broadcasting Conservative Party propaganda and reporting on government affairs.
[3] On 23 November 1983, he was appointed the Minister of Education and Training in P. W. Botha's Cabinet, being succeeded the following year by Frederik Willem de Klerk.
In an effort to ease tensions after the death of a student during police action, he consulted with Bishop Desmond Tutu, but by May 1984, six Atteridgeville and Saulsville schools closed.
He sought to understand the role of the black community and to reorganise schools and pointed out that any parent or student had a direct communication with him as minister.
[3] After P. W. Botha fell ill in 1989, he successfully contested interim president Chris Heunis and Foreign Minister Pik Botha in the struggle for the leadership of the National Party but was beaten in the final round by De Klerk, son of former interim president Jan de Klerk, by a 69–61 figure.