Personal

• Date of Birth: 17 October 1948

Current Positions

• Minister of Transport of the Republic of South Africa since 11 May 2009.
• Serves in the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC) since 1997.

Academic Qualifications

• Primary school at Makhaseneni near Melmoth.
• Secondary school at Entembeni Secondary School and matriculated from Eshowe Teachers' Training and High School (1968).
• Studied Library Science at the University of Zululand (1970 - 1972).
• Bachelor of Arts degree in International Politics and African Politics from University of South Africa (1982 - 1983)
• Bachelor of Arts honours degree with distinction in Development Administration and Politics (1985)

Career/Positions/Memberships/Other Activities

• Chairperson of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal Province (1998 - 2008).
• Deputy Chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal (1996 - 1998).
• Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Executive Committee and the Provincial Working Committee of the ANC (1994 - 2008).
• Was actively involved in the University Christian Movement and later with the South African Students Organisation (SASO).
• Worked at the archives at a Lutheran Church Centre at Maphumulo.
• Appointed Publicity Secretary of SASO for the University of Zululand (1972).
• Worked as an Assistant Librarian at the University of the North (1973 - 1974).
• Joined the African National Congress (ANC) under ground and went into exile in Swaziland (1974 - 1976).
• Worked as Assistant Librarian at University of Swaziland, (1974 - 1976).
• Was arrested for ANC activities in May 1976 and was sentenced to ten years on Robben Island in June 1977.
• Research fellow at University of Natal's Department of Town and Regional Planning.
• Regional Secretary of the ANC for Southern Natal (1990 - 1996).
• Director (Office of Residence Administration) - University of the Durban - Westville (1991 - 1994).
• Member of the National Executive Committee of the ANC (1997).
• Served in the Education Development Trust along with Dr IF Matsepe-Casaburri (1980 - 1994).
• MEC for Transport for the united province of KwaZulu-Natal (1994).
• Founder and Chairperson of the African Renaissance Trust based in KwaZulu-Natal.
• Played a key role in peace iniatiative in Kwazulu-Natal since 1987.
• Premier of KwaZulu-Natal Province from 22 April 2004 - 10 May 2009.

Awards/Decorations/Presentations/Bursaries

• An award by COMTO for continous support of African Renaissance at the Transportation African-Renaissance Transportation (2000).
• Honorary Doctorate from the University of Zululand in 2005.