Deputy Minister of Defence

Personal

• Date of Birth: 02 February 1948
• Marital Status: Married

Current Positions

• Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of South Africa since 29 April 2004.
• Member of Parliament in the National Assembly since 1994.

Academic Qualifications

• Matriculated at Nathaniel Nyaluza High School, Grahamstown.
• Passed 9 Bachelor of Arts courses at University of South Africa (UNISA).
• Passed 7 Bachelor of Commerce courses at Rhodes University.

Career/Positions/Memberships/Other Activities

• Joined the Africa National Congress (ANC) (1972).
• Employed by Ciskei Government as Procurement Officer (1972 - 1978).
• Secretary of KADRU (1973).
• President of Border Rugby Union until arrested in 1976.
• Arrested and sentenced to five years in Robben Island (1978).
• Founder member of United Democratic Front (UDF) (1983).
• Manager at Kei Brick (1983 - 1990).
• Worked for the South African Communist Party (SACP) (1984).
• President of King Central and Districts (1984 - 1986).
• President of UDF Border Region (1986).
• President of Rugby Union with Border South African Rugby Board (1986 - 1991).
• Founder member of National Sports Council (1988).
• Founder and executive member of National Olympic Committee of South Africa (NOCSA) (1989).
• Executive member of SACP Border Region (1990).
• Director Human Resources Department, Kei Brick (1990 - 1994).
• President of National Sports Council and United Border Rugby Union (1991 - 2001).
• Vice President of South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) (1993 - 1998).
• Member of the International Rugby Board (1994 - 1997).
• Alternate member of Portfolio Committees on Minerals and Energy, Correctional Services and Intelligence (1994 - 1999).
• Chairperson of ANC East London/KWT Region (1996 - 1999).
• Chairperson of Parliamentary Portfolio Committee of Safety and Security (1999 - 2004).
• Appointed as Board member of South African Rugby Union (2003).
• ANC NEC Member of International Relations Sub-Committee (IRSC) since 2004.
• Secretary of Methodist Church of Southern Africa Young Mens Guild Mt. Coke Circuit since 2004.
• Chairperson of the ANC Amathole Region, KWT since 2005