Ngoako Ramatlhodi

Ngoako Abel Ramatlhodi (born August 21, 1955 in Tauetswala , also Tauyatswala, in Northern Transvaal ) is a South African politician, student leader and member of the African National Congress .

Life

Ramatlhodi was born in a village not far from Potgietersrus (today Mokopane ) and grew up in this rural and traditional atmosphere. His father was a miner and his mother a housewife. His siblings are two sisters and three brothers. As a child, he was nicknamed Montsho because he was the darkest-skinned child in the family.

He spent his school days in Tembisa , where he acquired his Matric . He then enrolled in 1977 for a law degree at the University of the North . He became a member of the South African Students' Organization at an early age , which was banned by the South African government in October of that year . In this organization he took over the chairmanship of the Central Cultural Committee . This body was the only active student representation at this university after its Students' Representative Council (SRC) had also been banned.

During this time Ramatlhodi took part in other activities and in 1979 was one of the founding members of the Azanian Students Congress , which was later renamed the South African National Students Congress (SANSCO).

In 1978 he had already become a member of the African National Congress (ANC) and in this role was active underground at his university . In March 1979 he tried to organize a memorial service for the victims of the Sharpeville uprising , but was prevented from doing so by the authorities. The university management referred him to the university for this. He took this decision to court and was able to obtain readmission a few months later. His student-political activities expanded during this time. Ramatlhodi had to accept repeated expulsions from the university and arrests.

In 1980 he was denied further studies at the University of the North . He then turned to Johannesburg and worked there for a lawyer until he left the country.

His experience of government responses to his civic engagement led him to join the ANC Military Wing (MK) in 1980 . On July 17, 1980, he left South Africa for Lesotho and, since August 1981, continued his studies at the National University of Lesotho . During his vacation time, Ramatlhodi took part in activities in the MK by staying in such camps in Angola . He later traveled to the Soviet Union for a six-month training course .

From 1981 to 1983 he was the second secretary of the Committee for Action and Solidarity for Southern Africa (CASSAS). This organization campaigned for the unity of all student organizations critical of apartheid in South Africa.

Through his active political activity he moved up in the mid-1980s to the Political-Military Council of the MK for the Northern Front (i.e. North Transvaal ). Almost at the same time, from 1982 to 1983, he worked as secretary for public and international questions in the Students' Representative Council of the National University of Lesotho . In the period 1983-84 he was elected president of this student council and thus came to the university council as an ex officio member. In addition to all political activities, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts here in 1984 and his LLB in 1986 .

After graduating from university, he left Lesotho and went to Zimbabwe . There Ramatlhodi took over the leadership of the Regional Political-Military Committee (RPMC) of the ANC representation in this country. He used his stay in Harare since May 1986 to acquire a Master of Science degree in the field of "International Relations" from the University of Zimbabwe , which he graduated in 1988 with very good results.

Between 1988 and 1992 he worked in Lusaka (Zambia) and London (Great Britain) as political secretary and assistant to the then ANC President Oliver Tambo directly in the international relations of his organization. Ramatlhodi served as secretary of the ANC President's Political Committee and the ANC Control Commission. The Control Commission, a body to identify problem cases and ineffectiveness, consisted of five members, in addition to the President and the Secretary General of three other influential members. During this time he worked closely with Oliver Tambo, which included daily consultations, traveling together and attending his receptions. He also wrote many speeches and led the staff in the office of the ANC headquarters. In fact, he was the ANC President's personal envoy.

Through reforms initiated by Frederik Willem de Klerk , he was able to return to South Africa in July 1990; the government had lifted its restrictions on the ANC and other organizations. Shortly thereafter, the university management of the University of the North (Turfloop) elected him as deputy registrar and personal assistant to the rector of the university. At the same time he taught international law as a lecturer at this university institution.

In late 1991 Ramatlhodi took over the management of the ANC structures in the Northern Province / Limpopo, which he did until 1996, and became a member of the National Executive Committee of the ANC ( National Executive Committee - NEC).

Political functions since 1994

For the 1994 parliamentary election , Ramatlhodi headed the provincial representation list and received 96 percent of the votes cast. Eventually he became Prime Minister of the region ( Northern Province ), later Limpopo Province .

He held the post of Prime Minister of Limpopo Province for two terms from May 1994 to April 22, 2004.

Since 2006 he has been the chairman of the Council of the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (German: "Council for the Regulatory Authority of the Private Security Industry "), a supervisory body over its authority with the tasks of ensuring trustworthiness and securing the public democratic interest in this economic sector to guarantee and enforce a code of conduct.

Between 2004 and 2009 he was the director of the ANC Policy Institute and since 2008 he has headed the ANC electoral committee. Due to his professional background, he has also been a member of the Judicial Service Commission at the ANC since 2010 .

In the National Assembly he was chairman of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development from 2009 to 2010 .

From November 1, 2010 to May 25, 2014 he was a member of the cabinet ( Cabinet Zuma II ) under President Jacob Zuma and, as deputy minister, headed the department for correctional services . At the 53rd National Conference of the ANC in 2012, Ramatlhodi was elected to the National Executive Committee of his party.

Under President Zuma, he also served as Minister of Mining ( Mineral Resources ) from May 26, 2014 to September 22, 2015.

Since September 23, 2015, he has served as Minister of Public Service and Administration after his predecessor, Collins Chabane , died in a car accident in March. In 2017 he was dismissed from this position by President Zuma. The background was an earlier conflict with a mining license for the Glencore group. His successor in the ministerial office was Faith Muthambi . He also resigned his parliamentary mandate in April 2017. In 2017, the South African police opened an investigation into Ngoako Ramatlhodi, who was allegedly responsible for an attack with boiling water by a victim of violence.

Parliamentary mandates

• Member of National Assembly , May 6, 2009 to May 6, 2014
• Member of National Assembly , May 21, 2014 to March 30, 2017 (constituency 154 Fochville , West Rand )

Personal

Ngoako Ramatlhodi had been married to Ouma Ramatlhodi since 1983. A son emerged from this connection. The marriage ended in divorce. He later married Mathuding Ramatlhodi. In his spare time he works as a poet and writes on dramas. In his student days he was inspired by Sam Mahangwane and Thami Mnyele († June 1985 in Botswana ), both early political playwrights.

In 2009 he was admitted to the Bar of South Africa by the Bar of South Africa .

Honors

• 2009: Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from the University of Limpopo

Individual evidence

1. ^ South African History Online: Ngoako Abel Ramatlhodi . on www.sahistory.org.za (English)
2. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} People's Assembly: Mr Ngoako Abel Ramatlhodi . on www.pa.org.za (English)
3. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l} Shelagh Gastrow: Who's Who in South African Politics Number 5 . Johannesburg 1995, pp. 260-261, ISBN 0869754580
4. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Who's Who of Southern Africa: Ngoako Ramatlhodi . on www.whoswho.co.za (English; archive version)
5. ↑ ^{a b c} ElectionsInfo.net: Ngoako Ramatlhodi . on www.electionsinfo.net (English)
6. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} PolokwaneCity: Dr Ngoako Ramatlhodi . www.polokwanecity.co.za (English)
7. ^ National Assembly, Safety and Security Portfolio Committee: Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority: briefing on State of Security Industry . from: Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) Annual Report 2005/06, report of the parliamentary committee on security from November 2006, online at www.pmg.org.za (English)
8. ^ National Assembly: Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services . on www.parliament.gov.za (English)
9. ↑ Gwede Mantashe : Organizational Report delivered to the 54th National Conference Nasrec, Gauteng - December 16, 2017 ( Memento of February 19, 2018 in the Internet Archive ). P. 7, online at www.anc.org.za (PDF document p. 7, English)
10. ↑ Ngoako Ramatlhodi announced as new public service minister . News from September 23, 2015 The Citizen , online at www.citizen.co.za (English)
11. ↑ Fin24: Ramatlhodi withdraws Glencore mine suspension . News from August 7, 2015 on www.fin24.com (English)
12. ↑ Fin24: Ramatlhodi: I told the Guptas to back off . News from May 16, 2017 on www.fin24.com (English)
13. ↑ Siyabonga Mkhwanazi: Ramatlhodi quits as ANC MP . News from April 12, 2017 on www.iol.co.za (English)
14. ↑ Iavan Pijoos, News24: Police investigating attempted murder case against former minister Ramatlhodi . News from August 22, 2017 on www.news24.com (English)