Former Minister

Mr Radhakrishna Lutchmana "Roy" Padayachie (1 May 1950 to 5 May 2012) was a Minister of Public Service and Administration of the Republic of South Africa from 24 October 2011 until 5 May 2012. Prior to his appointment as minister of Public Service and Administration, Mr Padayachie served as a Deputy Minister of Communications of the Republic of South Africa from 29 April 2004 to 10 May 2009; Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration from 11 May 2009 until 30 October 2010 and as a Minister of Communications from 1 November 2010 until 24 October 2011.

Mr Padayachie holds a Master's of Science degree from University of London and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Durban-Westville.

Mr Padayachie joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1972. He worked as a formulations Chemist at Plascon Evans Paints from 1974 to 1979; a Microbiologist at Reckitt and Colman from 1976 until 1979; and a research Chemist at Shell Chemical from 1979 until 1980.

Between 1980 to 1999 he served as a Development Director at Community Education Development Trust; a Trustee of the Transitional National Development Trust (TNDT) serving on its Audit and Finance Committees and its Policy Advisory Group for the establishment of the National Development Agency (NDA); as an Executive member of the Natal Indian Congress; an Executive Committee member of the United Democratic Front in KwaZulu-Natal and as a member of ANC KwaZulu-Natal negotiating Team at Congress for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA).

Mr Padayachie undertook consultancy work as a Business Development Specialist and Economic and Business Development advisor/consultant to small, medium and micro enterprises from 1999 to 2004, before being appointed Deputy Minister of Communications of the Republic of South Africa since on 29 April 2004.