In 1998, Terblanche's father crossed the floor to the Democratic Party and she joined politics as an activist. She took part in the 1999 campaign that brought him to the provincial legislature, then won a by-election on the platform of the DP with 76% of the vote to become the party's only councillor. By 2001, Terblanche was again a Potchefstroom City Councillor, having won 82% of the vote in her ward the previous year for the then newly re-christened Democratic Alliance.[5] She also held office as caucus chair, and was the North West provincial secretary from 2000 until 2004.
In 2004, she was elected a member of the National Council of Provinces, where she was best known for passing a 2004 motion censuring Thabo Mbeki for his attitude to rape.[3] At the beginning of the term, Terblanche was elected as whip in the chamber.[3] During her time in the NCOP, she was temporarily ejected from the upper house for exclaiming in Afrikaans during a session.[6] Upon the completion of her term in the upper chamber, she then became the representative for the constituency of Ventersdorp/Tlokwe (Potchefstroom) in the National Assembly of South Africa, the country's lower house, in 2009.
From 2005 to 2006, she served as the first female Counsellor to the Leader of the Opposition, succeeding fellow MP Gareth Morgan. In 2009, she was the DA Home Affairs Spokesperson and again served as whip, this time in the lower house.[7] During her time at the Home Affairs department, she took part in the planning that preceded South Africa's hosting of the soccer world cup in 2010 and gave an interview following the ID cardsuicide.[8][9][10] Terblanche also spoke on behalf of her party and constituency in the wake of the murder of white supremacist leader Eugene Terre'Blanche (whom she is not related to).[11][12] In 2011, she was the Democratic Alliance's candidate for mayor of Potchefstroom.[13] She also issued a statement about the spate of farm attacks in South Africa in 2012. [14] Terblanche was the constituency leader for Tlokwe when the DA briefly took control of the municipality in 2013, a move she championed.
In June 2014, Terblanche was named as Deputy Spokesperson in the Science and Technology portfolio.[15] During her time with the department, her work included debating aspects of the Square Kilometer Array's South African location,[16] South Africa's then gestational Space program,[17] and the South African Indigenous Knowledge preservation and promotion bill.[18]
In 2014, charges were laid against Deputy Minister for Higher Education Mduduzi Manana for, among other things, "manhandling" Terblanche in a brawl in parliament.[19][20][21]
In 2015, she spoke out against the excessive use of force by the South African Police Service and praised the arrest of individuals that had been running an illegal initiation school.[22][23] In October of that year, Terblanche was expelled from the Democratic Alliance, along with Dianne Kohler Barnard. [24][25][26] The ANC called it a "public relations stunt."[27] Terblanche said the misconduct inquiry that led to her expulsion was "erroneous, misleading and defamatory" and said she would appeal to the High Court.[28]
She left parliament in 2017. Her membership of the Democratic Alliance was ultimately reinstated in February, 2022. She currently serves as one of the party's branch chairs in her native North West Province. Since 2024, she has also been a councillor in the JB Marks Local Municipality.
Honours
Over the course of her career in politics, Terblanche was named as one of "the 200 young people that you should take to lunch" by the Mail and Guardian. She also received the Sunday Times award for "Upstart of the Year" and was further named as one of "the 100 young people that will make a difference in the next 10 years", again by the Mail and Guardian.[3]
Illness
In April 2010, Terblanche was diagnosed with acoustic neuroma. She subsequently had the first of three corrective surgeries on July the 13th of that year.
After the three procedures were completed, some of the tumor remained due to both the nature of Terblanche's case in particular and the damage sustained during the final surgery.
She is currently continuing treatment.
Personal life
From 1993 to 2024, Terblanche was married to the lepidopterist Reinier Terblanche. They have three children together.[28]
