Minister of Agriculture & Land Affairs

Ms Lulama Xingwana was appointed Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities of the Republic of South Africa from 1 November 2010. She is a member of African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL) National Working Committee (NWC) since 1993. She became a member of Parliament in 1994.

Ms Xingwana holds Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the Witwatersrand obtained in 1985; Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Development and Leadership Studies from Harare, Zimbabwe in 1998; Post Graduate Diploma in Economic Principles from the University of London obtained in 2002 and enrolled for Master of Sciences in Development Finance at the University of London.

Ms Xingwana was a member of the Federation of South African Women from 1981 to 1991; a member of (ANCWL), Head of Development Section 1991 to 1994 and was a member of the United Democratic Front (UDF) from 1983 to 1991.

She has worked for the South African Council of Churches as Director for Women's Development Programmes in 1987.

She was a Chairperson of Sports, and Recreation Portfolio Committee from 1994 to 1999; a Chairperson of Malibongwe Rural Development Project for women from 1998 to 2000; a member of Gauteng Provincial Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1998 to 2001; a member of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Portfolio Committee from 1996 to 2004; a member of Defence Portfolio Committee from 1999 to 2004; a member of Minerals and Energy Portfolio Committee from 1999 to 2004 and a Chairperson of Parliamentary Women's Caucus from 1999 to 2004.

She has also served as a Chairperson of Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women from 2002 to 2004; a Chairperson of Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Women's Caucus from 2002 to 2004; and Former member of National Executive Committee (NEC)of ANC from 1993 to 2007.

From 2004 to 2009, Ms Xingwana has served as a member of the Cabinet Committee on Investment and Employment; as a member of the Cabinet Committee on International Relations, Peace and Security; as a member of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Sector; as a Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy from 2004 to 2006; as a Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs from 2006 to 2009 and as a Minister of Arts and Culture from 11 May 2009 to 30 October 2010.