Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of South Africa since 1 November 2010.
Member of African National Congress (ANC).
Academic Qualifications
Dr Gwendoline Ramokgopa was qualified as a Medical Doctor (MBCHB) in 1989 and attained her Masters in Public Health (MPH) in 2007.
Other studies undertaken at postgraduate level include Public Health (Wits), health economic and Financing (UCT) and Strategic Management and Marketing from Graduate School of Management and Technology.
Positions last held/Career/Memberships/Other Activities
Leader of ANC in Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality from 1995 to 1998, between 1998 and 1999 she served as a Chairperson of Gauteng Portfolio Committee on Health and as member of Gauteng Provincial Legislature from 1999 until 2006.
She served as MEC for Health in Gauteng province from 1999 to 2006 and Exective Mayor for Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality from 2006 to 30 October 2010.
As an anti-Apartheid activist she occupied various leadership positions including in the student movements, women`s organisations, professional health associations and in the African National Congress.
She was the inaugural CEO of the South African Medical and Dental Practitioners assisting it to establish its investment company on whose board she sat as an executive director. She served as a non-executive board member of NETCARE Private Health Company as well as the Deputy Chairperson of the Black Economic Empowerment Commission representing the medical sector. She also served respectively on the University Councils of the Medical University of Southern Africa (Medunsa) and the Pretoria University.
Dr. Ramokgopa worked as a Medical Officer at Dr. George Mukhari (former GaRankuwa) Hospital until 1992 when she joined the Independent Development Trust (IDT) as National Health Programme Manager. In 1995 she was invited by the MEC for Health to participate on the Strategic Management Team and later a Medical Advisor where she assisted in the establishment of the an integrated unified and de-racialised Gauteng Department of Health.
From 1998 she became a member of the Gauteng Legislature serving as the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee for health as well as being a member of the Portfolio Committee of Finance and Local Government respectively.
Dr Ramokgopa served as Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) for Health in Gauteng Government from 1999 to 2006. During this period she also chaired the Social Development Committee, served as member of the Political Labour Committee, co-ordinated the Government Multi-sectoral AIDS programme and was Head of the Gender Mainstreaming and Women`s Development Programme within the Gauteng Government.
In the periods 1995 to 1998 she became the first black woman to chair the executive committee of the then City Council of Pretoria. She was later appointed to serve as the Executive Mayor of Tshwane from 2006 to 2010.
In her various roles and responsibilities Dr Ramokgopa has demonstrated her passion and commitment on issues of policy, leadership and strategic planning; corporate governance, ethics, accountability and participatory democracy; economic development, youth empowerment and gender equality; as well as excellence, quality assurance, innovation and research.
Dr. Ramokgopa is married with three children. She enjoys reading and spending time with her family.
