Minister of Economic Development

Personal

• Date of Birth: 1962

Current Positions

• Minister of Economic Development of the Republic of South Africa since 11 May 2009.

Career/Memberships/Positions/Other Activities

• Member of Executive Committee for International Textile Garment and Leather Workers' Federation.
• Chief Negotiator on Labour Relations Act (1995).
• Patron for Bureau of Economics Research at the University of Stellenbosch.
• Overall Convenor for organised labour in South Africa.
• Served as as Global Spokesperson on Employment and Social Policy for the Workers Group on the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Governing Body.
• Member of the South African national on trade policy since the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Meeting in Singapore (1996).
• He led labour engagement with government leaders as part of the preparations for the G20 Summit.
• He led negotiatians which resulted in the adoptin of the ILO's Global Employment Agenda.
• He led negotiations which resulted in the adoption of ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalisation (2008).
• He also led the Workers Group at the International Labour Conference of the ILO on discussions which led to the adoption of: Recommedation on the Employment Relationship (2006), the Recommendation on the Promotion of Cooperatives (2001/2002), Conclusions concerning Human Resources Training and Development (2000), and Conclusions on the Employment Relationship (2003).
• Overall Labour Convener at National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC).
• Board member of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and National Economic Forum (NEF).
• Member of the Presidential Working Group for Organised Labour.
• Member University of Cape Town Council.
• Member of the Millenium Labour Council.
• Member of the Proudly South African Board.
• Member of the COSATU Central Executive Committee.
• Board member of Council for Higher Education.
• Member of the Clothing Industry Training Board.
• Member of the Textile Industry Training Board.
• Board member of the Chris Hani Institute.
• Chief Negotiator of the National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Industry (2002).
• Chief Negotiator of the National Textile Bargaining Council (2003).
• Board member of the Financial and Fiscal Commission and Judicial Service Commission.
• Involved in negotiations which resulted to the conclusion of the Framework for South Africa's Response to the International Economic Crises adopted by NEDLAC (February 2009).
• Founder member of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).
• General-Secretary of the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU).
• Organiser in the National Union of Textile Workers (NUTW) which emerged out of the historic 1973 Durban strike.
• Unioniser University of Cape Town, University of Western Cape and University of Stellenbosch workers who are now part of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU).
• Acting President of South African Labour Research Institute.