Minister of The DPE
MINISTER OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES: BARBARA HOGAN
Barbara Hogan was born in South Africa on the 28th of February 1952. She grew up in Benoni Guateng during the apartheid era where she was a pupil at the St Dominics Convent School. After completing her matric, she enrolled at Wits University to pursue a development studies qualification. Hogan was passionate about improving the socio-economic conditions of the black majority and supported the ideas of a free, democratic and multiracial society in South Africa. Her ideals and values led her to the African National Congress in 1976 after the Soweto Uprising. She joined the ANC in one of the darkest hours of apartheid, at a time the movement had been declared illegal and had resorted to conducting its activities on an underground basis. She played a very significant role in mobilising white leftist support as well as public political campaigning and supplying crucial information to the ANC underground on trade union and community activity in South Africa. In 1982, Barbara Hogan was detained and held in solitary confinement for a year on the grounds of “furthering the aims of a banned organisation.” After suffering a series of interrogations and torture at the hands of the infamous apartheid police, Hogan became the first woman in South Africa to be found guilty of high treason. She was subsequently sentenced to ten years in prison. While in prison, Hogan pursued her studies further and obtained qualifications in Accounting and Economics.
Following the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990, Hogan was released along with other political prisoners. She was appointed secretary of the PWV regional office and played a significant role in restructuring the ANC. Since then, she has served and led in various structures such as the ANC National Executive Committee, Finance Portfolio Committee, Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the Auditor General Standing Committee. She has also served as a Member of Parliament since 1994 and is a member of the Amandla AIDS Fund which was established in 2003. On the 25th of September 2008, Hogan was appointed Minister of Health by former President Kgalema Montlanthe. Hogan now serves as the Minister of Public Enterprises in the new administration.
Recently named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine, Hogan’s strong managerial skills and ‘never say die’ attitude will undoubtedly bring about a new sense of drive and determination in her new portfolio.
DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES: ENOCH GODONGWANA
Enoch Godongwana was born on 9th June 1957 in the Cala District of the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. He attended school at St Johns College in Umtata, where he matriculated. After being involved in various political structures within the ANC he became a member of the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (Numsa) in 1983. In 1994 he was appointed General Secretary of Numsa and served in this position until 1997. Godongwana also served the labour movement in various capacities such as shop steward, local organiser, regional secretary and national organiser. During this time he also served on Cosatu’s Executive and Central Committees between 1992 and 1997. He was appointed chairperson of Cosatu’s Economic Development Task Force; this position was concluded in 1997. Godongwana was the founder member of Border Kei Development Forum and was a representative of labour on the Technical Committee for Job creation of National and Economic Forum. Godongwana concluded his two terms on the NEDLAC management and executive committee in 1997.
Deputy Minister Godongwana has also served as the labour leader for trade and industry in NEDLAC and as a board member of the National Institute for Economic Policy (NIEP) from 1997 to 1998. During this time, he completed his Masters Degree in Financial Economics at the University of London. He then became the Vice Chairperson of the ANC Eastern Cape Provincial Executive Committee; he served in this position until 2006. He has also served in the various spheres of government under the ANC banner, including the Eastern Cape Provincial Government, where he served as a member of the Executive Council responsible for Economic Affairs, Environment and Tourism.
Godongwana has held a number of directorships, memberships and a chairmanship in different organisations including the Pan African Benefit Services (PTY) LTD, The Robben Island Museum Council, The National Housing Finance Corporation, The real People Assurance (PTY) LTD, The Policy Board for Financial Services and Regulation and the Institute of Directors. Deputy Minister Godongwana has served South Africa as a Member of Parliament since last year and is now the Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises, a position to which he was appointed in May 2009.
