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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 PRETORIA 001029 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM ASEC SF PGOV
SUBJECT: PART 3 OF 3:  A LOOK AT JACOB ZUMA'S CABINET 
 
REF: PRETORIA 000942 
 
PRETORIA 00001029  001.2 OF 006 
 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU)  President Jacob Zuma finalized his Cabinet 
appointments on May 10, modifying several existing ministries 
and creating a few new ones.  Below are short biographies for 
each of the newly appointed ministers and deputies.  This is 
the third of three cables looking at each of the Cabinet 
appointees.  End Summary. 
 
------------------ 
Cabinet Appointees 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (U)  Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan served as 
Health Minister under former President Kgalema Motlanthe. 
Credited with changing the culture of the health ministry, 
Hogan also caused controversy when she spoke out without 
consulting the African National Congress (ANC) on the 
government's decision not to grant the Dalai Lama a visa. 
She previously served as a member of Parliament, where she 
played a leading role in numerous ad hoc committees and 
investigations.  She chaired the portfolio committee on 
Finance from 1999 to 2004.  She was instrumental in creating 
ANC structures in Gauteng and has been a member of Parliament 
since 1994.  Concurrent with her appointment to the Health 
Ministry, Hogan acts as chairperson of the Standing Committee 
on the Auditor General.  She is a member of the advisory 
board of the Amandla AIDS Fund, which was established by the 
non-profit organization Artists for a New South Africa in 
¶2003.  She joined the ANC in 1976 after the Soweto student 
uprising.  In 1982, she became the first woman to be 
sentenced to treason in South Africa and began serving a 
10-year sentence.  She was released in 1990.  Hogan was born 
in 1952 and enjoys reading. 
 
¶3. (U)  Deputy Public Enterprises Minister Enoch Godongwana 
had been rumored to be a frontrunner for the Deputy Finance 
Minister position, but did not receive the job when the SACP 
opposed the move.  Godongwana advanced politically through 
the Eastern Cape provincial legislature -- which raises 
questions about his effectiveness because the province is 
widely seen as the most impoverished in the country.  He 
served as a Minister in the Executive (MEC) for Finance in 
Eastern Cape in 2004 and served as an MEC for the Provincial 
Treasury, Economic Affairs, and Environment and Tourism from 
1998 to 2004.  Before 1994, Godongwana was National Secretary 
and Regional Secretary for the National Union of South 
African Mines, working his way up the union beginning in 
¶1989.  He holds a degree from the University of London and 
was born in 1957 in Eastern Cape. 
 
¶4. (U)  Public Services and Administration Minister Richard 
Baloyi has been a member of Parliament since 1999 and began 
serving in his current capacity under Motlanthe.  A competent 
leader, Baloyi began his political career in the United 
Democratic Front and rose through the Limpopo legislature. 
He served as secretary of the ANC's Giyani branch and as 
secretary of the ANC's Northeast sub-region.  In the 1990s, 
he was a member of the ANC's Limpopo Provincial Executive 
Committee and was the ANC's provincial spokesperson. 
 
¶5. (U)  Deputy Public Services and Administration Minister 
Roy Padayachie served as Deputy Minister of Communications 
from 2004 to 2009 and has a history of political involvement 
in KwaZulu Natal.  He joined the ANC in 1972 and later became 
a United Democratic Front executive committee member and as a 
Qa United Democratic Front executive committee member and as a 
member of the ANC's KwaZulu Natal negotiating team at the 
Congress for a Democratic South Africa discussions. 
Professionally, Padayachie served as a formulations chemist 
at Plascon Evans Paints from 1974 to 1979, as a 
microbiologist at Reckitt and Colman from 1976 to 1979, and 
as a research chemist at Shell Chemical from 1979 to 1980. 
Before his appointment as a deputy minister, Padayachie was a 
consultant to small, medium, and micro enterprises on 
business development.  He was educated at the University of 
Durban-Westville and the University of London.  He was born 
in 1950. 
 
¶6. (U)  Public Works Minister Geoffrey Doidge has extensive 
 
PRETORIA 00001029  002.2 OF 006 
 
 
legislative experience.  In addition to being Public Works 
Minister, Doidge is chairman of the Committee of Chairpersons 
in Parliament, a member of the National Assembly Rules 
Committee, a member of the Joint Rules Committee, a member of 
the National Assembly Program Committee, a member of the 
Joint Program Committee, a member of Parliament's Budget 
Forum, a member of the ANC Whips Committee since 1994, and a 
member of the ANC Governance Committee in Parliament.  He has 
extensive experience in development work and local 
governance.  He was a founding member of the ANC's Strategy 
Team as served as Deputy Chief Whip of the ANC from 1994 to 
¶1999.  His local government experience includes times as a 
member of the ANC Transkei regional executive from 1992-1995 
and as a member of the Kokstad Local Affairs committee from 
1992 to 1994.  He is known for protecting staff members from 
abuse by fellow legislators.  He was born on April 26, 1952 
and is married. 
 
¶7. (U)  Deputy Public Works Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu 
is a motivational speaker, researcher, writer, and 
consultant.  Visually impaired, Bogopane-Zulu has overcome 
enormous odds in her rise as a national figure and 
effectively used her sway within South Africa's community of 
citizens with disabilities to further union efforts. 
Bogopane-Zulu has been in Parliament since 1999 and served on 
the Portfolio Committee for Social Development beginning in 
¶1999.  She currently is the national trainer for "Public 
Service South Africa."  During her parliamentary career, she 
also has served as National Public Prosecutor, National 
Public Protector, and National Auditor General.  Before her 
deployment to Parliament, Bogopane-Zulu was the National 
Coordinator for Disabled People South Africa from 1996 to 
1999 and National Coordinator for Disabled Women's 
Development Program from 1996 to 1999.  She was involved in 
efforts to negotiate the convention on the rights and dignity 
of disabled people at the United Nations.  Bogopane-Zulu is 
married with three children. 
 
¶8. (U)  Rural Development and Land Affairs Minister Gugile 
Nkwinti has long been involved in Eastern Cape politics. 
Farmers are thrilled that Zuma has created two ministries 
devoted to agriculture -- one headed by Joemat-Peterson and 
this ministry headed by Nkwinti.  He is said to "understand 
commercial farming very well."  Nkwinti served as an MEC for 
Local Government and Housing from 2004 until recently and was 
an MEC for Housing, Local Government, and Traditional Affairs 
from 1999 to 2004.  From 1994 to 1999, he was speaker of the 
Eastern Cape legislature.  He began his political career in 
the 1980s, serving as a regional executive committee member 
for the United Democratic Front -- he rose to the level of 
National Convener -- and later as a regional treasurer for 
the movement before using his connections to rise in the ANC. 
 In 1990, he was the regional secretary for the ANC in 
Eastern Cape.  He was born 1948, received a Bachelors degree 
from the University of South Africa, and enjoys reading. 
 
¶9. (U)  Deputy Rural Development and Land Affairs Minister 
Joe Phaahla rose to prominence as a student through the 
Azanian People's Organization.  He previously served as Chief 
Executive Officer of the South African Sports Commission.  In 
QExecutive Officer of the South African Sports Commission.  In 
the Sports Commission office, Phaahla had a key role as 
Director General of South Africa's 2010 bid and advised both 
Mbeki and Motlanthe on the country's preparations for the 
World Cup.  He has longstanding ties to the ANC's Limpopo 
provincial structures.  Phaala challenged former Limpopo 
premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi for control of the province in 2005 
and was quickly deployed for politically attacking one of 
Mbeki's chief allies.  Many see Phaala's ministerial 
appointment as a way to reward him for supporting Zuma at the 
2007 ruling party congress. 
 
¶10. (U)  Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor 
previously was Minister of Education from 2004 to 2009.  From 
1999 to 2004, she was chair of the National Council of 
Provinces.  She has been a member of Parliament since 1994 
and served as Deputy Chief Whip for the ANC at one point 
during the 1990s.  She has a lengthy track record of 
positions and leadership roles involving the issue of 
education.  She rose through the Taung College of Education's 
English Department throughout the 1980s and worked at the 
University of Cape Town in the late 1980s and early 1990s. 
She was executive director of the Desmond Tutu Educational 
Trust from 1993 to 1994 and was Chancellor of the Cape 
 
PRETORIA 00001029  003.2 OF 006 
 
 
Techikon in 2000.  She holds degrees from the University of 
Stellenbosch, the University of Botswana, and the University 
of London.  She is married.  Pandor was born in 1953. 
 
¶11. (U)  Deputy Science and Technology Minister Derek Hanekom 
has held this position since 2004.  He has been an ANC member 
of Parliament since 1999 and served as Minister of 
Agriculture and Land Affairs from 1994 to 1999.  He is a 
member of the ANC's National Executive Committee and a Board 
Director for the Land and Agricultural Policy Centre.  He 
served in the South African military in the 1970s and then 
worked as a businessman.  He was first arrested during a 
candlelight vigil at John Vorster Square Police Headquarters 
in Johannesburg in 1976 and then arrested again in 1983, for 
which he spent nine months in jail for high treason.  From 
1990 to 1994, Hanekom worked as a coordinator for the ANC's 
Land and Agricultural desk.  He was born in 1953 in Cape Town 
and is married. 
 
¶12. (U)  Social Development Minister Edna Molewa has long 
been active in Northwest ANC politics.  From 2004 to 2009, 
she served as the province's premier.  She has been a member 
of the ANC Women's League in the Northwest since 2003 and, 
until recently, was the chair of the Women's League in the 
province.  She has been a member of the province's ANC 
national executive committee since 1996.  She was first 
deployed to Parliament in 1994 and served there until 1996 -- 
she was the first woman chair of the Portfolio Committee on 
Trade and Industry.  She was a teacher in the 1970s before 
going underground to work for the ANC during the 1980s.  She 
later chaired a branch of the South African Commercial, 
Catering, and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU) and rose to 
become the Deputy of SACCAWU.  She was born in 1957 and is 
married. 
 
¶13. (U)  Deputy Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini 
has served as Secretary General of the ANC Women's League 
since 2003 and served as Deputy Secretary General of the 
League from 1997 to 2003.  She joined the ANC Women's League 
Executive Committee in 1991 and "literally grew up in the 
organization."  She lost a bitter power struggle last year 
against new Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga for the 
presidency of the ANC Women's League.  She was a key reason 
why Zuma won support from the women's body ahead of the 
ruling party's congress in December 2007.  There is not a lot 
of information available on Dlamini, but she reportedly 
benefited heavily during the "Travelgate" scandal -- where 
MPs misused government funds while on official business -- in 
the early 2000s and was forced to resign from Parliament. 
 
¶14. (U)  Sport and Recreation Minister Makenkesi Stofile has 
served in his current capacity since 2004.  He has been chair 
of the ANC in Eastern Cape since 1996 and a member of the 
ANC's National Executive Committee since 1990.  He has served 
in a number of senior positions within the party, including: 
ANC Internal Leadership Core (1990-1991), ANC Regional Chair 
(1990-1991), ANC Treasurer General (1995-1997), and Premier 
of Eastern Cape (1997-2004).  A powerful political figure, 
with connections to nearly every single facet of the South 
African liberation movement, Stofile played a key role in 
helping the SAG win the hosting of the 2010 World Cup and led 
Qhelping the SAG win the hosting of the 2010 World Cup and led 
successful protests to prevent a tour by the New Zealand 
rugby team in 1984.  From 1969 to 1994, Stofile was the 
province's national sports administrator and he coached 
junior rugby and cricket from 1965 to 1994.  He has numerous 
undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of 
Fort Hare and holds a Masters degree from Princeton 
University.  Stofile was born in 1944, is married, and enjoys 
watching sports. 
 
¶15. (U)  Deputy Sport and Recreation Minister Gert Oosthuizen 
was formerly in the New National Party (NNP) and has served 
in his current capacity since 2004.  He was self-employed 
during the 1980s following a stint in the South African Air 
Force.  He was first elected to Parliament in 1987 and 
remained in the legislature following the 1994 election.  He 
served as a Whip in Parliament from 1989 to 1999, joining the 
ANC in 2000.  He served as a member of the ANC's Strategy 
Committee in Parliament from 2001 to 2004.  He also served on 
the Joint Defense Committee, the Portfolio Committee on 
Defense, and the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services 
from 2001 to 2004.  He was born in 1957 and enjoys watching 
sports. 
 
PRETORIA 00001029  004.2 OF 006 
 
 
 
¶16. (U)  State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele was formerly 
Intelligence Minister under the previous ministry alignment. 
(Note:  The State Security ministry was formerly the 
Intelligence ministry.  End Note.)  Cwele has been a member 
of Parliament since 1994.  He has served as a member of the 
ANC's Provincial Executive Committee in KwaZulu Natal since 
¶1990.  Throughout his legislative career, he has served on 
the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, as a member of 
the Senate of the National Council of Provinces from 1994 to 
1999, and as chairman of the Standing Committee on Social 
Services.  He served in various underground capacities for 
the ANC from 1984 to 1990.  He was known as one of the few 
leaders in Parliament willing to speak out against some of 
Mbeki's decisions.  He is a strong Zuma supporter, and was 
credited with ensuring Mbeki's bid for a third term was 
defeated at Polokwane.  Cwele, who has a good grasp of the 
intelligence system, led the Joint Standing Committee on 
Intelligence to recommend that former Scorpions boss Leonard 
McCarthy be charged for allowing the Scorpions to gather 
intelligence that culminated in the controversial Browse Mole 
report.  The report linked ANC President Jacob Zuma to a coup 
plot against Mbeki.  He denied a request in 2008 by the 
Consul General in Durban to discuss political developments. 
 
¶17. (U)  Tourism Minister Martinus van Schalkwyk has been a 
member of Parliament since 1990 and caused controversy when 
he merged the NNP with the ANC in the early 2000s.  Van 
Schalkwyk served as premier of Western Cape from 2002 to 2004 
and previously was Minister of Environmental Affairs and 
Tourism from 2004 to 2009.  Most pundits say he has a better 
grasp of South Africa's tourism industry than he did of 
environmental affairs -- he spent most of his previous tenure 
focused on building South African tourism.  He was educated 
at the Rand Afrikaans University (now University of 
Johannesburg) and is married.  He was born in 1959. 
 
¶18. (U)  Deputy Tourism Minister Thozile Xasa was a former 
MEC for Local Government in Eastern Cape before joining 
Parliament in 2009.  There is not much information available 
on Xasa.  Post will continue looking for relevant 
biographical notes. 
 
¶19. (U)  Trade and Industry Minister Robert Davies began his 
political activism in the ANC and the South African Communist 
Party (SACP) while living in Mozambique.  He is currently on 
the ANC's National Executive Committee and the Central 
Committee of the SACP.  He returned to South Africa in 1990 
and worked in the Department of Economic Policy at Luthuli 
House.  He became a member of Parliament in 1994 and 
undertook a variety of policy research projects.  He has led 
South African delegations to World Trade Organization summits 
in Seattle, Doha, Cancun, and Hong Kong.  He holds degrees 
from the University of Sussex, and the University of South 
Hampton.  He was born in 1948 and is divorced. 
 
¶20. (U)  Deputy Trade and Industry Ministers Thandi Tobias 
and Maria Ntuli bring unique skills to their shared ministry. 
 Tobias joined Parliament in 2004 and served on various 
committees throughout her tenure.  She served on the Defense 
Committee, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, and the 
Committee of Public Works.  Ntuli comes from the ANC Women's 
QCommittee of Public Works.  Ntuli comes from the ANC Women's 
League and served in Parliament on several committees.  Some 
of the committees on which she served include the Trade and 
Industry Committee and the Agricultural and Land Affairs 
Committee.  She hails from a royal family. 
 
¶21. (U)  Transport Minister Sbusiso Ndebele was until 
recently the Premier of KwaZulu Natal.  (Note:  Much of the 
following information comes from the Consulate in Durban. 
End Note.)  Ndebele held the position of ANC provincial 
leader for 10 years before stepping down last year.  Ndebele 
was born in 1948.  He received his primary school education 
in Melmoth (Northern Zululand) and matriculated in 1968 at 
Eshongwe High School.  He went on to study Library Science at 
the University of Zululand and graduated in 1972. He received 
a BA in International Politics and African Politics at the 
University of South Africa from 1982-1983; he also qualified 
for the BA Honors majoring in Development Administration and 
Politics.  During his time at university,  Ndebele was 
actively involved in the University Christian Movement and 
later joined student political structures including the South 
African Student Organization (SASO).  In 1974, he joined the 
 
PRETORIA 00001029  005.2 OF 006 
 
 
ANC underground and went to exile in Swaziland.  He was 
arrested for ANC activities in May 1976 and was sentenced to 
10 years imprisonment at Robben Island. After his release, he 
was employed by the University of Natal as the researcher at 
the Town & Regional Planning Department.  He was elected as 
the Regional Secretary of the ANC Southern Natal Regional 
which is now known as eThekwini.  Ndebele served in the 
Education and Development Trust during the 1980s. 
 
¶22. (SBU)  Ndebele was the Minister of Transport in KwaZulu 
Natal for 10 years and in 2004 became the Premier of the 
province.  (Durban Comment:  Ndebele is a long standing 
leader of the ANC in KZN and played a major role in the 
stabilization of the province that has long been ravaged by 
political violence and intolerance.  He beat his close rival 
for the ANC leadership, Zweli Mkhize, twice in successive 
conferences.  However, with the fall-out between Mbeki and 
Zuma, Ndebele, an Mbeki appointee, lost support and control 
of the party in the province.  After the 2007 ANC national 
conference in Polokwane, during which Zuma defeated Mbeki for 
the presidency of the ANC, Ndebele announced that he would 
not compete for the position of provincial leader.  Ndebele 
remained in his position as the Premier of KZN but was seen 
as a lame duck premier.  In the last meeting with the CG and 
Pol/Econ Assistant in 2008, Ndebele indicated his desire to 
quit provincial politics and move to national assembly after 
the 2009 general elections.  Ndebele is not that popular with 
grassroots ANC members in the province.  He is considered to 
be a combative and shrewd leader.  Like Mbeki, he is an 
African Renaissance intellectual and can come across as 
standoffish.  Ndebele has not been accessible to the 
consulate in Durban.  Although the consulate had good 
relations with staff in his office, it took more than two 
years for him to agree to formally meet with the CG.  His 
only interaction with the last ambassador was a 10-15 minute 
courtesy call in his office by Ambassador Bost.  One of 
Ndebele's personal assistants told the Pol/Econ Assistant 
that an incident at a U.S. airport during which he was 
subjected to a thorough body search by airport security and 
immigration officials is the cause of his negative attitude. 
End Comment.) 
 
¶23. (U)  Deputy Transport Minister Jeremy Cronin is a long 
time, outspoken member of the SACP and the ANC.  He has 
served in Parliament since 1999 as an ANC member, and has 
been on the ANC's National Executive Committee since 1991. 
He worked in the SACP's propaganda unit during the 1970s, 
which eventually drew the attention of the apartheid 
government.  Cronin was arrested and served seven years in 
prison.  After he was released from prison, he worked for the 
United Democratic Front.  His work with that organization, 
however, raised the ire of the apartheid government.  He fled 
South Africa and settled in London and then Zambia, where he 
worked with Joe Slovo.  Cronin frequently pens articles for 
the major South African newspapers and has been an outspoken 
critic of the Zimbabwean Government.  He was born in 1949. 
He is remarried; his first wife died of a brain tumor while 
Cronin served his seven-year prison sentence. 
 
¶24. (U)  Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa 
Q24. (U)  Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa 
Sonjica served as Minister of Minerals and Energy from 2006 
to 2009.  She is one of the most seasoned ministers in Zuma's 
Cabinet; before serving in the Minerals and Energy ministry, 
she served as Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry from 
2004 to 2006.  She was Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture 
from 2003 to 2004.  A member of Parliament since 1994, she 
was an ANC Whip from 1994 to 1999.  As an MP, Sonjica served 
on the Portfolio Committees for Finance, Trade and Industry, 
and Water Affairs and Forestry.  She chaired the Committee on 
Water Affairs and Forestry.  Hailing from Eastern Cape, 
Sonjica became politically active during the late 1970s and 
eventually joined the United Democratic Front and built upon 
her trade union background.  She was a member of the South 
African Democratic Teachers Union from its inception.  She is 
a long time member of the ANC Women's League and helped build 
support for Zuma's bid as party leader both in Eastern Cape 
and in the Women's League.  She holds degrees from several 
universities.  She was born in 1950 and is single. 
 
¶25. (U)  Deputy Water and Environmental Affairs Minister 
Rejoice Mabhudafhasi previously served as Deputy Minister for 
Environmental Affairs and Tourism from 1999 to 2009.  She has 
been a member of Parliament since 1994 and serves on the 
 
PRETORIA 00001029  006.2 OF 006 
 
 
ANC's National Executive Committee.  She has a long history 
of activism in Limpopo and once served as National Treasurer 
of the National Education Health and Allied Union (1992-1994). 
 
¶26. (U)  Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities Minister 
Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya is relatively unknown.  One 
prominent gender rights scholar told Econoff that she "had 
never heard of Mayende-Sibiya."  She was elected to the ANC's 
National Executive Committee at the party's 2007 congress. 
She has served as the leader of the National Education, 
Health, and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU) since 2004.  She 
served as NEHAWU's Deputy President from 1998 to 2004.  She 
has a long history of trade union activism, dating to the 
mid-1980s.  She has played several roles both within the 
Congress of South African Trade Unions and the SACP and 
worked as a provincial gender coordinator in KwaZulu Natal 
under Zuma when he was premier. 
LA LIME