Education, Government Government of South Africa Deputy Minister of Basic Education South Africa

Current Positions

    * Deputy Minister of Basic Education of the Republic of South Africa since 11 May 2009.


Academic Qualifications

    * Attended primary school in Rustenburg.
    * Attended Lenasia High School and matriculated in 1970.
    * Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Durban-Westville (1973).
    * Honours degree in Philosophy (1974).
    * B.Proc degree from University of South Africa (UNISA) (1977).
    * Completed an LLM degree in Constitutional Litigation from University of the Western Cape (UWC) (1996).


Career/Memberships/Positions/Other Activities

    * Served articles as Candidate Attorney in Johannesburg (1975).
    * Admitted as Attorney in 1977.
    * Practised as General Practitioner and human Rights Lawyer in Rustenburg (1977 - 1994).
    * Acted for Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) affiliates especially the National Union of Mine workers (NUM).
    * Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development of the Republic of South Africa (25 September 2008 - 10 May 2009).
    * Acted for the African National Congress (ANC) after its unbanning.
    * Opposed all forms of collaboration at Government level in the form of management committees and opposed the Tri-Cameral System.
    * Served as an observer member of the African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Council(NEC) from 1999 to 2007.
    * Appointed Provincial and Programming Whip for the North West Province for the period (1994 - 1999).
    * Served as a Member of Parliament in the Senate and its successor, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) (1994 - 2004).
    * Participated in the following select committees, Justice, Safety and Security, Constitutional Affairs and Local Government and Administration.
    * Member of the Management Committee of the Constitutional Assembly and negotiator for the ANC on the Bill of Rights for the period (1994 - 1996).
    * Joined the National Assembly and redeployed to the NCOP as Chief Whip (1999 - 2004).
    * Served on various other committees and on the Judicial Service Commission (2003 - 2004).
    * Deputy Minister of Education of the Republic of South Africa (29 April 2004 until 25 September 2008).


Source: Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development