Personal

• Date of Birth: 15 August 1953.
• Marital Status: Married
• Pastimes: Watching and playing, soccer, cricket, squash and reading.

Current Positions

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

Academic Qualifications

• 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).
• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher education.

Career/Memberships/Positions/Other Activities

• Admitted as Attorney in 1977.
• Practised as an attorney and human Rights Lawyer in Rustenburg (1977 - 1994).
• Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development of the Republic of South Africa (25 September 2008 - 10 May 2009).
• Served as a Member of Parliament in the Senate and its successor, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) (1994 - 2004).
• 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).
• Deputy Minister of Education of the Republic of South Africa (29 April 2004 until 25 September 2008).