Former Premier

Mr Gerald Norman Morkel became a Premier of the Western Cape Provincial Government in 1998 and he served the province until 2001

Mr Morkel attended his secondary education at Bethel Seventh Day Adventist College in Butterworth in Transkei.

He obtained a Diploma in Electrical Technology at Umtata Tech and Electrical Engineering at Mangosuthu. He did a Post Graduate Diploma in Economic Principles at the University of London between 1995 and 1996 and MSc in Financial Economics at University of London in 1997.

Mr Morkel became a Member of Parliament for Retreat Constitutency in 1984 and Spokesperson for the Labour Pary on Environmental Affairs, as well as Public Works and Planning in 1984. He was re-elected as Member of Parliament for the same Constituency in 1989 and became a

Chairperson of the Labour Party, Peninsula Region from 1988 until 1991.

He resigned as member of the Labour Party and joined the National Party in 1991 and became a Member of the Executive Council of the National Party in Cape Province in 1991 and later in 1992 he became a Minister of Budgetary and Auxilliary Services in the Minister's Council portfolio which later included the Housing and Agriculture.

He served as MEC of Housing in Western Cape Provincial Government in 1994; MEC of Police Services, Western Cape Provincial Government in 1996 and he was re-appointed MEC of Community Safety of Western Cape Provincial Government 1998. He was Leader of the House in Western Cape Provincial Government from 1994 to 1998 and a Leader of the National Party of Western Cape in 1998.

Mr Morkel was a member of the Western Cape Province Cricket Union's Coaching and Planning Committee and Chairman of the Cape Town Cricket Club and the Cape Town Hockey Club. He became Honorary Life Member of the Cape Town Cricket Club.