Sir Nicolaas Frederic de Waal KCMG[1] (8 July 1853 – 5 April 1932) was the first Administrator of the Cape Province in South Africa.

He was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands and arrived in South Africa in 1880 where he settled in Middelburg and opened a law practice.

After the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, De Waal became the Administrator of the Cape Province until his retirement in 1926.

[2] As Administrator, he initiated the construction of a high-level road linking the city to the Southern Suburbs, known until 2017 as De Waal Drive.

[3] He also initiated the construction of Chapman's Peak Drive between Hout Bay and Noordhoek, a major engineering challenge.