Minister of Housing

Ms Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu is the Minister of Public Service and Administration of the Republic of South Africa since 12 June 2012. She has been a member of Parliament since 1994; a Chairperson of the Inaugural of the African Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development since 2005; a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC); a member of the National Working Committee of the ANC; Trustee of the South African Democracy Education Trust; Trustee of the Albertina and Walter Sisulu Trust; and a member of the Board of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Ms Sisulu holds a Masters of Arts degree in History from Centre for Southern African Studies, University of York, and M Phil from Centre for Southern African Studies, University of York obtained 1989 with the Thesis topic: 'Women at Work and Liberation Struggle in South Africa'. She has also obtained a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor Arts Hons degrees in History from University of Swaziland obtained in 1981.and she obtained a Diploma in Education from University of Swaziland in 1980. Ms Sisulu Completed her GCE Cambridge University Ordinary Level at St Michael's School in Swaziland in 1971 and GCE Cambridge University Advanced Level in 1973 also in Swaziland.

Between 1975 and 1976 Ms Sisulu was detained for political activities and thereafter joined Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and worked for underground structures of African National Congress (ANC) while in exile from 1777 to 1978 and later she obtained military training specialising in Intelligence in 1979.

Ms Sisulu has Taught at Manzini Central High School in 1981 and lectured at Department of History of the University of Swaziland in 1982 and at Manzini Teachers Training College from 1985 to 1987. During that period she was also a Chief Examiner of History for Junior Certificate Examinations for Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. She also worked as a Sub-editor of The Times of Swaziland in Mbabane, Swaziland in 1983.

Ms Sisulu returned to South Africa in 1990 and served as a Personal Assistant to Jacob Zuma as the (ANC) Head of Intelligence. She also served as Chief Administrator for the ANC at the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) in 1991 and as Administrator of Intelligence at the ANC Department of Intelligence and Security in 1992.

In 1992 she became a Consultant of the National Children's Right Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). She waorked as a Director of the Govan Mbeki Research Fellowship at University of Fort Hare in 1993. She also served as Head of the Command Centre for Emergency Reconstruction 2000 to 2002.

a member of Management Committee, Policing Organisation and Management course, PDM, University of the Witwatersrand in 1993; a member of Management of the Sub-Council on Intelligence, Transitional Executive Council (TEC) in 1994 and a Chairperson of the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence from 1995 to 1996.

Prior to her appointment as Minister of Public Service and Administration, Ms Sisulu has served as a Deputy Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa from 1996 to 2001; Minister of Intelligence from 24 January 2001 to 28 April 2004; Minister of Housing from 29 April 2004 to 10 May 2009; and Minister of Defence and Military Veterans of the Republic of South Africa from 11 May 2009 to 12 June 2012.

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

She was awarded the Human Rights Center Fellowship in Geneva in 1992 and 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.

She received a Presidential Award for the breaking new ground in Housing delivery strategy by the Institute for Housing of South Africa in 2004; she received Award in recognition for outstanding contributions and achievement towards improving and solving world's housing problems by International Association for Housing Science in 2005.

She was awarded the Human Rights Center Fellowship in Geneva in 1992 and 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. She also received The Presidential Award for the breaking new ground in Housing delivery strategy by the Institute for Housing of South Africa in 2004.