Politician

Member of Parliament (Assembly), Cape Town

April 2004 to 2006

• Member of Finance, Trade and Industry and Foreign Affairs committees
• Championing the plight of Zimbabwe, Southem Sudan and the genetically modified food problem.
• Debating finance, trade and foreign affairs issues

Member of the Upper House (NCOP) of Parliament, Cape Town

1999 to April 2004

• Member of the African Christian Democratic Party and spokesman on finance, trade and foreign affairs
• Promoted Consumer Courts, credit control and political risk cover for trade promotion in Africa

(10th) Ambassador & (17th) High Commissioner for South Africa to the Court of St James’s, U.K.

1991 to 1995

• Award : Freedom of the City of London in recognition of work iro building Anglo/S.A relations (95)
• Served the De Klerk and the Mandela governments
• Represented the process of normalisation in South Africa, managed the reform process in London
• Interaction with all major role players in the government, Parliament, the City of London and at the Palace
• Led negotiations for the return of South Africa to the Comnmonwealth
• Promoted trade with and investment in South Africa and Africa
• Promoted the concept of South Africa being a springboard for trade into Africa and London being a springbooard of South African trade into the European Union
• Created the Indorim concept – brought together Indian and South African business leaders to forge trade/industrial ties around the Indian Ocean

Cabinet Minister
(Trade and Industry and Tourism portfolio)

1989 to 1991

• Led break-out of South Africa to new markets : established new trade links, negotiated and signed first trade agreements
  with countries including Russia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Poland
• Normalised South African trade worldwide in step with the reform process of which he was a prime mover
• Modernised the tourism sector ; introduction and promotion of ecotourism, rural tourism and tourism for the disabled

 

Minister of State
(Budget and Public Works portfolios)

1988

• Conservation of Church Square, Pretoria
• Initiated compilation of first National Asset Reqister (land and buildings)
• Conservation of the west Facade and Tudor Chambers (Pretoria) , Roland Street Prison (Cape Town), Bienne Donne wine Farm (Franschhoek)

Deputy Minister
(Finance and Trade and Industry portfolios)

1983-1988

• Began tax reform process by over-seeing the Margot/Katz Commission including the introduction of V.A.T.
• Prime mover for the proclamation of marine, island and mountain reserves
• Restructured the sugar industry in South Africa
• Initiated and simplified standardised buiiding regulations for south Africa through the S.A.B.S. : incorporated participation by The Disabled Peoples’ Organisation of South Africa to ensure user-friendly building standards for the disabled, ensuring compliance of government
• Brought in close corporation legislation to stimulate small business growth
• Reformed the CSIR and the Trade Licensing offices
• Restructured the ways that banks and building societies functioned (the big bang)

Member of Parliament, Maitland/Milnerton

1977 to 1991.

• Leading reformer on creating a new dispensation for South Africa
• Spearheaded major social upliftment projects : low cost housing and facilities for the aged, children and distressed members of society in the Brooklyn/Milnerton/Bothasig area
• Building of three homes for senior citizens, two creches and two day centres for the elderly (including the Kent Durr Home For Senior Citizens in Bothasig)
• Established Rietvlei (Milnerton) as a Natural Area in terms of the Physical Planning Act, thus protecting birdlife and wetlands

MPC (Member of the Provincial Council for Constantia constituency)

1974 to 1977

Kent Durr was the first ‘’green MPC’’ in the Cape and immediately conceived of or championed many environmental causes in the Provincial Council…inter alia:

•  He supported and initiated (with the Constantia Landowners’ Association and others), the concept of saving the remaining unbuilt rural land in Constantia, in what became known as the Historic Triangle in Constantia, together with the historic buildings. He made his maiden speech on saving rural Constantia and tenaciously pursued the matter. This led to the freezing of development in the affected area and included Groot Constantia (and the establishment of a Board of Control), Hope of Constantia, Buitenverwagting, Nova Constantia, Uitsig, Hoop op Constantia and other smaller adjoining properties.  He saved the Nova Constantia homestead from demolition and with Mr Neil Hare, Chairman of the Divisional Council, agreed a non conforming commercial use if it were faithfully restored.  This occurred and Tupperware bought and had the property restored. He had many tracts of land added to Groot Constantia to make it a viable estate… its ultimate protection. He was appointed a member of the new Board of Control His work was continued by his successor, Mr Roger Hulley, whom he briefed comprehensively.
• He conceived of and made many speeches on the need to end the competition and double jurisdiction between owners and controllers of Table Mountain which included several departments of state and municipalities.  He proposed a single national park to include Table Mountain and the South Peninsula Mountain Chain – a multiple use National Park with a single comprehensive conservation plan.  This came to pass many years after his term ended.
• He led a campaign to have Robben Island declared a National Park as part of the Table Mountain National Parkand made many detailed proposals on the matter.  Again later his ideas were brought to fruition by the new government.
• He supported the campaign to save Sandy Bay from being rezoned for development… successfully.
• He campaigned successfully to have the Saldahna\ Langebaan Lagoon area and its surrounds protected from pollution and to form a multiple use National Park – his speeches on the issue are a matter of public record in the Provincial Hansard.
• He campaigned successfully for the proclamation of Marine and Island National Parks to protect threatened marine bird species including, The African (Jackass) Penguin… this included ending double jurisdiction of the coastline with competition between several departments of state, local authorities and private owners as well as allowing climax colonies of marine life to regenerate on the coast.  He became Chairman of SANCCOB (South African Council for the Conservation of Coastal birds) and later was honoured by a lifetime award from SANCCOB. He supported and helped with establishment of the rescue station at Rietvlei in his then constituency of Maitland (which included Milnerton, Bothasig, Rugby and Maitland)
• He campaigned also for mountain National Parks as well as for the protection of the wetlands and estuaries on the coast to protect birdlife as well as spawning opportunities for fish.
• He was the first elected man to promote the introduction of Mariculture and Aquaculture in South Africa to take the pressure off (wild) sea life. Later in 1977 in Parliament he was to make his maiden speech on the need, means and urgency for the protection of marine life and the seas generally including the need to protect the Krill and Whales in the South Atlantic and Antarctic.