Minister of Public Enterprises

Personal

• Date of Birth: 28 February 1952
• Other: Reading, gardening.

Current Positions

• Minister of Public Enterprises of the Republic of South Africa since 11 May 2009.
• Member of Parliament since 1994.
• Chairperson of Standing Committee on Auditor General.

Academic Qualifications

• Completed Matric at St Dominics Convent School.
• Enrolled for Development Studies at University of Witwaterrand .
• Obtained qualifications in Accounting and Economics.

Career/Memberships/Positions/Other Activities

• Joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1977 after the Soweto Uprising.
• First woman in South Africa to be found guilty of treason (1982).
• sentenced to 10 years imprisonment at Pretoria Central Prison and was released in (1990).
• Played a very significant role in mobilising white leftists as well as public campaigning and supplying crucial information to the ANC underground on Trade Unions and Community activities in South Africa.
• She rose through the structures of the anti-aparttheid movement in the country.
• played a big role in the creation of the African National Congress (ANC) structures in Gauteng.
• Elected Secretary-General of the ANC (PWV Region) now Gauteng.
• Member of Amandla AIDS Fund established in 2003.
• Was passionate about improving the Socio-economic conditions of the black majority and supported the idea of a free democratic and multi-racial society in South Africa.
• Was on forefront of organising Consumer boycotts.
• Arrested, detained and charged with high treason (1981-1983).
• Member of ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) (1990 - 1992).
• Involved in the CODESA talks that ultimately gave birth to a democratic South Africa.
• Chairperson of the portfolio committee on Finance (1999 - 2004).
• Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Account (SCOPA).
• Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Auditor-general.
• As member of Parliament she played a leading role in many ad hoc committees and investigations.
• Head of Policy Development at the then Development Bank of South Africa (1993).
• Part of the Team that formed the country's future Public Work Programme, an intervention that continued to form a critical aspect of government Programme of Action.
• Minister of Health of the Republic of South Africa (26 September 2008 - 10 May 2009).