 He later became the chairman of the National Party 's Federal Information Committee and member of the Executive National Party in the Transvaal.After P. W. Botha fell ill in 1989, he successfully contested interim president Chris Heunis and Foreign Minister Pik Botha in the struggle for the leadership of the National Party but was beaten in the final round by De Klerk, son of former interim president Jan de Klerk, by a 69–61 figure.Du Plessis was recalled to de Klerk's cabinet but left his post in 1992.