Former minister

Personal

• Date of Birth: 17 January 1948
• Marital Status: Married

Positions last held in government

• Minister of Public Enterprises of the Republic of South Africa since 29 April 2004.

Academic Qualifications

• Matriculated at Durban High School.
• B Econ (Hons) from the University of Natal, Durban in 1978.

Career/Positions/Memberships/Other Activities

• He was a Lecturer in the Department of Economics at University of Natal from 1971 to 1978.
• He was a visiting Lecturer at Centre of Southern African Studies, University of York from 1974 to 1975.
• He served as a member of Institute of Industrial Education from 1973 to 1975.
• Served as a General Secretary of the Trade Union Advisory and Co-ordinating Council (TUACC) from 1977 to 1979; and as a General Secretary of the Federation of South African Trade Unions (FOSATU) from 1979 to 1983.
• From 1983 to 1985 Mr Erwin served as Education Secretary of the Federation of South African Trade Unions (FOSATU)and Education Secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) between 1986 and 1988.
• He served as National Education Officer for National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa) from 1988 to 1993.
• In 1991 he was an Interim Executive member of African National Congress (ANC) Southern Natal region and between 1990 and 1991 he served as a Branch Executive member of ANC Western Areas branch.
• Former Deputy Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa from May 1994 to April 1996.
• He was a member of the Development and Reconstruction Committee of the National Peace Accord Trust.
• Former President of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) from May 1996 to February 2000.
• Mr Erwin served as Minister of Trade and Industry of the Republic of South Africa from 4 April 1996 to 28 April 2004.