Zola Skweyiya
Zola Sidney Themba Skweyiya | |
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| South African High Commissioner to the United Kingdom | |
| In office September 2009 – February 2014 | |
| President | Jacob Zuma |
| Preceded by | Lindiwe Mabuza |
| Succeeded by | Obed Mlaba |
| Minister of Social Development | |
| In office 1999–2009 | |
| President | Thabo Mbeki |
| Succeeded by | Edna Molewa |
| Minister of Public Service and Administration | |
| In office 1994–1999 | |
| President | Nelson Mandela |
| Succeeded by | Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 April 1942 Simon's Town, South Africa |
| Died | 11 April 2018 (aged 75) Pretoria, South Africa |
| Political party | African National Congress |
Zola Sidney Themba Skweyiya
Early life
He was born in
In-exile
Until 1985, Skweyiya was the ANC's representative at the
Services
After his return from exile in 1990, he directed the Department of Legal and Constitutional Affairs. He helped to set up the Centre for Development Studies and the South African Legal Defence Fund, both at the University of the Western Cape.[1]: 19 Skweyiya also served on the board of trustees of the National Commission for the Rights of Children. He was also elected as president of UNESCO's Management of Social Transformations.
Skweyiya was first elected to Parliament in 1994, and he joined the Cabinet as Minister of Public Service and Administration in the same year. He was moved to the position of Minister of Social Development under President Thabo Mbeki in 1999. Skweyiya is credited with the creation of the South African Social Security Agency,[2] launched on 1 April 2006, aiming to address corruption and maladministration in the social grants payments system.[3]
After 15 years in the Cabinet and Parliament, his retirement from both was announced on 6 May 2009, following the April 2009 general election. As a result, he was not sworn in for the new parliamentary term. He did not leave politics altogether, however; he remained a member of the ANC National Executive Committee,[4] and on 7 May 2009 the party announced that he would have a new post working at the ANC Presidency. According to ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe, Skweyiya voluntarily chose to leave parliamentary politics, "contrary to current speculative and surreptitious commentary". He praised Skweyiya's "immense skill and expertise" and said that the ANC still wanted to make use of his abilities.[5]
Skweyiya was appointed by President Jacob Zuma as the South African High Commissioner to the United Kingdom in September 2009.[6]
From 2011 to 2015, an annual Zola Skweyiya Lecture series was hosted by the Centre for the Analysis of South African Social Policy (CASASP) at the University of Oxford, with the inaugural lecture being given by Dr Skweyiya himself.[7][8]
Death
Skweyiya died at a Pretoria hospital on 11 April 2018, at the age of 75,[9] leaving behind his second wife, Thuthukile, and two stepchildren, and a son from his first marriage.[1]: 19
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Barron, Chris (15 April 2018). "Zola Skweyiya, principled engineer of mass welfare and bill of rights 1942-2018". Sunday Times (South Africa).
- ^ "Zola Skweyiya is born | 14 April 1942". South African History Online. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ Kaunda, Lakela (20 April 2018). "Dr Zola Skweyiya (1942-2018): Architect of South Africa's social security system". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ "Skweyiya set to retire", Sapa (IOL), 6 May 2009.
- ^ "Skweyiya deployed to ANC Presidency", Sapa (IOL), 7 May 2009.
- ^ "High Commissioner Profile". southafricahouseuk.com.
- ^ Moore, Ruth (1 May 2018). "Remembering Dr Zola Skweyiya". University of Oxford, Department of Social Policy and Intervention. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ Skweyiya, Zola (17 May 2011). "The Zola Skweyiya Lecture on South African Social Policy 2011 | 'Building on inclusive, comprehensive and nondiscriminatory social welfare system in post-apartheid South Africa: A Reflection on achievements and continuing challenges'" (PDF). Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ "ANC Veteran Zola Skweyiya Dies at 75". EWN. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
External links
- Profile at anc.org.za.
- Vusi Madonsela, "Zola Skweyiya: A tribute", Politicsweb, 20 April 2018.
- Wiseman Magasela, "Zola Skweyiya’s contribution to South Africa should not be forgotten", Daily Maverick, 20 April 2020.
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