Minister of Justice & Constitutional Development

Personal

• Date of Birth: 15 August 1953.
• Marital Status: Married
• Pastimes: Watching and playing, soccer, cricket, squash and reading.

Current Positions

• Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development of the Republic of South Africa since 25 September 2008.

Academic Qualifications

• Attended primary school in Rustenburg.
• Attended Lenasia High School and matriculated in 1970.
• Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Durban-Westville (1973).
• Honours degree in Philosophy (1974).
• B.Proc degree from University of South Africa (UNISA) (1977).
• Completed an LLM degree in Constitutional Litigation from University of the Western Cape (UWC) (1996).

Career/Memberships/Positions/Other Activities

• Served articles as Candidate Attorney in Johannesburg (1975).
• Admitted as Attorney in 1977.
• Practised as General Practitioner and human Rights Lawyer in Rustenburg (1977 - 1994).
• Acted for Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) affiliates especially the National Union of Mine workers (NUM).
• Acted for the African National Congress (ANC) after its unbanning.
• Opposed all forms of collaboration at Government level in the form of management committees and opposed the Tri-Cameral System.
• Served as an observer member of the African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Council(NEC) from 1999 to 2007.
• Appointed Provincial and Programming Whip for the North West Province for the period (1994 - 1999).
• Served as a Member of Parliament in the Senate and its successor, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) (1994 - 2004).
• Participated in the following select committees, Justice, Safety and Security, Constitutional Affairs and Local Government and Administration.
• Member of the Management Committee of the Constitutional Assembly and negotiator for the ANC on the Bill of Rights for the period (1994 - 1996).
• Joined the National Assembly and redeployed to the NCOP as Chief Whip (1999 - 2004).
• Served on various other committees and on the Judicial Service Commission (2003 - 2004).
• Deputy Minister of Education of the Republic of South Africa (29 April 2004 until 25 September 2008).