Minister of Defence and Military Veterans

Personal

• Date of Birth: 10 May 1954
• Marital Status: Married

Current Positions

• Minister of Defence of the Republic of South Africa since 11 May 2009.
• Inaugural Chairperson of the African Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development since 2005.
• Member of Parliament since 1994.
• Member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African Congress (ANC).
• Member of the National Working Committee of the ANC.
• Trustee of the South African Democracy Education Trust.
• Member of the Board of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
• Trustee of the Albertina and Walter Sisulu Trust.

Academic Qualifications

• Completed GCE Cambridge University Ordinary Level at St Michael's School, Swaziland (1971).
• Completed GCE Advanced Level at Waterford Kamhlaba, Swaziland (1973).
• BA degree and Diploma in Education, University of Swaziland (1980).
• BA Hons in History from University of Swaziland (1981).
• MA in History, Centre for Southern African Studies, University of York.
• M Phil, Centre for Southern African Studies, University of York (1989). Thesis topic: 'Women at Work and Liberation Struggle in South Africa'

Career/Memberships/Positions/Other Activities

• Detained for political activities (1975 - 1976).
• Joined Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and worked for underground structures of ANC in exile 1977 - 1978).
• Obtained military training specialising in Intelligence (1977 - 1979).
• Teacher at Manzini Central High School (1981).
• Lecturer, Department of History, University of Swaziland (1982).
• Sub-editor, The Times of Swaziland, Mbabane, Swaziland (1983).
• Lecturer, Manzini Teachers Training College (1985 - 1987).
• Chief Examiner, History for Junior Certificate Examinations for Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (1985 1987).
• Returned to South Africa (1990).
• Personal Assistant to Jacob Zuma, the African National Congress (ANC) Head of Intelligence (1990).
• Chief Administrator for the ANC at the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) (1991).
• Administrator of Intelligence, ANC Department of Intelligence and Security (1992).
• Director of the Govan Mbeki Research Fellowship, University of Fort Hare (1993).
• Member of Management of the Sub-Council on Intelligence, Transitional Executive Council (TEC) (1994).
• Chairperson of the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (1995 - 1996).
• Consultant of the National Children's Right Committee, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. (UNESCO) (1992).
• Member of Management Committee, Policing Organisation and Management course, PDM, University of the Witwatersrand (1993).
• Deputy Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa (1996 - 2001).
• Minister of Intelligence of the Republic of South Africa (24 January 2001 - 28 April 2004).
• Head of the Command Centre for Emergency Reconstruction (2000 - 2002).
• Minister of Housing of the Republic of South Africa (29 April 2004 10 May 2009).

Awards/Decorations/Presentations/Bursaries

• Awarded the Human Rights Center Fellowship in Geneva (1992). Her project for the UN Center resulted in University of the Witwatersrand School of Business setting up a training course to upgrade the policing skill of MK members.
• The Presidential Award for the breaking new ground in Housing delivery strategy by the Institute for Housing of South Africa (2004).
• International Association for Housing Science Award in recognition for outstanding contributions and achievement towards improving and solving world's housing problems (2005).

Research and Publications

• 'Women at Work and Liberation Struggle in the 1980's' in R Cohen (ed), Themes in the twentieth century South Africa, Oxford University Press (1991).
• 'South African Women in Agricultural Sector' (pamphlet) York University (1990).
• 'Women Working Conditions in South Africa' South African Situation Analysis, National Children's Rights Committee, UNESCO (1992).
• Housing Delivery and the Freedom charter: the beacon of hope, new agenda. Second quarter (2005).