Roy Jankielsohn is the leader of the Opposition and DA Caucus Leader in the Free State Legislature and serves on the portfolios of agriculture and economic development among various in-house committees. Roy first stood for election in the first all-inclusive local government elections in ward five in Bloemfontein under a Democratic Party (DP) banner in 1995. Roy was a founder member of the Democratic Alliance as a DP Federal Council Member in 2000.
In 2000 he was selected to represent the Free State in the National Assembly where he served on the Portfolio Committees of Defence and Safety and Security. He also served as Parliamentary Councillor to the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Leon, in 2002. He was the DA Chairperson in the Free State between 2004 and 2006 and also served as Provincial Leader between 2006 and 2012. He has served in various capacities on the Democratic Alliance Federal Council, Federal Finance Committee and Federal Executive Committee.
He has been a Member of the Free State Legislature and the DA Caucus Leader in the Legislature since 2006. Roy has five university degrees that include a PHD in Political Studies from the North West University among various international courses. Roy continues to publish regularly in peer reviewed academic journals and serves on the Academic Advisory Board of the Department of Political Science at the University of the Free State.
To add to this impressive track record, he was one of only 18 people to receive a World Bank Robert S. McNamara fellowship in 1998.
Roy is currently registered for a second PhD at the University of the Free State. He also holds the rank of captain the a SANDF armoured reserve force unit in Bloemfontein. He resides on a farm outside of Bethlehem with his wife Astrid and son Tristan. He grew up on a farm near Steynsrus and issues relating to rural development remain very important to him. He is the face of the fight against corruption in the Free State and was a lead witness in the Vrede Dairy Project hearings at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry.