[1] Van Dalen was born in the town of Kuils River in the Western Cape and attended De Kuilen High School.

[2] Van Dalen studied at Wits University, and attained a NQF level 7 graduate diploma in Advanced Governance and Leadership in 2013.

[3][4] Before he joined the Democratic Alliance, van Dalen was the managing director of his own company, and was also a reservist for the Fire Brigade and South African Police Service.

[8] He also revealed the attempted corrupt awarding of the R800 million Department of Fisheries vessel management tender to Sekunjalo which had close relations with President Jacob Zuma.

[9][10] On 5 December 2014, the Public Protector found her and the DAFF's conduct "improper" and constituting maladministration, and that it had led to "fruitless and wasteful expenditure".