Former Minister

Personal

• Date of Birth: 23 August 1954
• Marital Status: Divorced

Positions last held in government

• Minister of Sport and Recreation of the Republic of South Africa from 21 June 1999 to 28 April 2004.
• Minister of Correctional Services of the Republic of South Africa from 29 April 2004 to to 10 May 2009.

Academic Qualifications

• Matriculated from Jabavu High School in Alice in Eastern Cape.
• Obtained Primary Teacher's Diploma at Lovedale College, Alice in the Eastern Cape.
• Obtained Bachelor of Arts degree in Sport and Recreation Management.
• Graduate Diploma in Sport and Recreation from Victoria University in Australia.

Career/Positions/Memberships/Other Activities

• Mr Balfour has more than 11 years teaching experience including holding positions as Principal and Head of Division.
• He was a member of Middledrift Progressive Teacher's Union.
• He was employed by the Board of Social Responsibility under the Archbishop of Cape Town from 1985 to 1989.
• He went into exile in Australia between the period 1989 to 1992 where he served as a Consultant to the Australian Commonwealth Games Federation.
• He served as a National Director of Rugby Development for 2 years.
• Mr Balfour had served as head of Sports Administration at the University of the Western Cape between 1993 and 1994 and became International Director of Cape Town 2004 Olympic bid between 1994 and 1996.
• In addition to the above commitment in sports, Mr Balfour has also served as Vice-President of the Western Province Council on Sport, Vice-President of the Western Province Cricket Board, President of National Sports Council in Western Cape and and was a founder member of National Sports Council (NSC).
• As a student Activist Mr Balfour was an active member of the Azanian Students Convention (AZASCO).
• Political Activist and a member of United Democratic Front (UDF).
• Former Political detainee, Mr Balfour was elected as a member of Parliament in 1996. During this period, he has served in the following portfolios: Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation, Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and Porttfolio Committee on Public Accounts.
• Member of the International Marketing Council from 2000 to 2004.
• Executive and member of Foundation Board of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) during the period 2000 to 2004.
• Secretariat member of the International Inter-Governmental Consultative Group on Anti-Doping in Sport (IICGADS) from 1999 to 2004.
• President-in-Office of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa from 1999 to 2000 and member of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa from 2000 to 2004.
• He served as a Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Sports Trust from 1999 to 2004.
• Member of the Council of Ministers of Zone VI Southern Africa of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa from 1999 to 2004.
• Vice-Chairperson of Inter-Ministerial Committee for the SA 2010 World Cup Bid.