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Angie Motshekga

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The Honourable
Angie Motshekga
MP
Motshekga in August 2023
Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 July 2024[1]
PresidentCyril Ramaphosa
DeputyBantu Holomisa
Richard Mkhungo
Preceded byThandi Modise
Minister of Basic Education
In office
11 May 2009 – 19 June 2024
PresidentJacob Zuma
Cyril Ramaphosa
DeputyEnver Surty
Reginah Mhaule
Preceded byPost established
Succeeded bySiviwe Gwarube
Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 2009
ConstituencyGauteng
4th President of the African National Congress Women's League
In office
2008–2015
DeputyNosiphiwo Mwambi
Preceded byNosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula
Succeeded byBathabile Dlamini
Deputy Provincial Chairperson of the African National Congress in Gauteng
In office
2001–2004
ChairpersonMbhazima Shilowa
Preceded byPaul Mashatile
Succeeded byNomvula Mokonyane
Personal details
Born
Matsie Angelina Motshekga

(1955-06-19) 19 June 1955 (age 69)
Soweto, Transvaal Province, Union of South Africa
CitizenshipSouth Africa
Political partyAfrican National Congress
SpouseMathole Motshekga
Children1
Education
Occupation
  • Politician
  • educator
  • anti-apartheid activist

Matsie Angelina "Angie" Motshekga (born 19 June 1955) is a South African politician and educator who is currently serving as the Minister of Defense and Military Veterans since 3 July 2024.[1] She served as the acting president of the Republic of South Africa from the 17th August 2024, while President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the 44th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community in Harare, Zimbabwe.[2] Motshekga also served as the Minister of Basic Education from May 2009 to 2024. She was previously a Member of the Executive Council in the Gauteng provincial government. Motshekga is a member of the African National Congress. She is a former president of the party's women's league.

Early life and teaching career

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Motshekga was born on 19 June 1955 in Soweto, Transvaal Province.[3] She received her primary school education from different schools in Soweto. She matriculated from a boarding school in Matatiele.[3] Motshekga studied at the University of the North, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education. From the University of the Witwatersrand, Motshekga obtained a Bachelor of Educational Science degree and a master's degree.[4]

In 1981, Motshekga was employed as a teacher at Orlando High School. She worked at the school until 1983, when she resigned following her appointment as a lecturer at the Soweto College of Education. Motshekga became a lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1985. She lectured at the university until 1994.[4]

Political career

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During the 1980s, Motshekga was a member of the Soweto Education Crisis Committee that later formed part of the National Education Coordinating Committee.[3] She held membership of the United Democratic Front. She was also a member of the National Education Union of South Africa.[3] Motshekga was active in the Pimville Civic Association.[4]

Motshekga was the National Convenor of Teacher Unity talks that led to the formation of South African Democratic Teachers Union.[3] She was the regional chair of the African National Congress Women's League in the party's former Kyalami region.[3] From 1994 to 1997, she worked as a director in the office of the presidency. She was elected Deputy Provincial Secretary of the ANCWL in 1997.[4]

Gauteng provincial government

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After the 1999 general election, Motshekga was sworn in as a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. She was named the chairperson of the legislature's education committee. In 2000, premier Mbhazima Shilowa appointed her to the Social Development portfolio of the Executive Council. After the 2004 general election, Motshekga returned to the legislature for her second term. Shilowa moved her to the Education portfolio.[4]

Motshekga was elected the national president of the ANC women's league in 2008, defeating the league's secretary-general Bathabile Dlamini. She received 1,826 votes.[5]

National government

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Motshekga was elected to the National Assembly in April 2009. Newly elected president Jacob Zuma unbundled the Education portfolio into two new, separate ministries. Motshekga was appointed Minister of Basic Education.[6] She took office on 11 May 2009. During her first term, textbooks were not delivered to impoverished Limpopo schools between December 2011 and June 2012.[7] She faced calls to resign or be removed, but she remained in the position.[8]

Following the 2014 general election, Zuma retained Motshekga in her position.[9] Bathabile Dlamini unseated her as women's league president in August 2015.[10] In 2017, she ran for ANC national president under the women's league banner without asking for permission.[11] The league criticised Motshekga and later endorsed Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for the ANC presidency.[12]

Zuma resigned as South African president in February 2018 and deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa was designated as his successor. Ramaphosa kept Motshekga in her position.[13][14] In 2019, she became the longest-serving education minister in South African history.[15] She was re-elected as an MP in that year's general election. She remained as minister of basic education.[16][17]

On 15 February 2021, Motshekga said to pupils at Prospectus High School in Pretoria that an "educated man won't rape". Her comment caused outrage. She responded by saying that her comment was taken out of context.[18][19]

In 2014, Motshekga claimed that the standard of question papers had increased[20] after an English exam paper riddled with basic spelling and grammar errors was given to learners.[21] In 2022 a mathematics examination paper included a problem that was unsolvable due to a typing error.[22] The error was not picked up before the paper was given and Motshekga's department will decide whether an upward mark adjustment of 1% or 2% is necessary.

She was appointed as acting president of the Republic of South Africa on 2 July 2021, as President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the state funeral of Kenneth Kaunda in Zambia.[23]


Following the 2024 South African general election she became the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.[24][1]

International positions

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Since 2023, Motshekga has been a member of the United Nations High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession, co-chaired by Kersti Kaljulaid and Paula-Mae Weekes.[25]

Personal life

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Motshekga is married to former Premier of Gauteng and former ANC chief whip, Mathole Motshekga. They have children and grandchildren.[26]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Historic day for SA as government of national unity ministers take oath of office". Daily Maverick. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  2. ^ "PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA APPOINTS MINISTER ANGIE MOTSHEKGA AS ACTING PRESIDENT". thepresidency.gov.za. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Mrs Matsie Angelina Motshekga". Parliament of South Africa. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Matsie Angelina Motshekga, Ms". Government of South Africa. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Women's League president elected". IOL News. 5 July 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  6. ^ "South Africa Cabinet Members 2009 to 2010". South African History Online. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  7. ^ Chisholm, Linda (September 2013). "Understanding the Limpopo textbook saga". HSRC. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  8. ^ Mutasa, Haru (17 July 2020). "South Africa's textbook scandal". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Complete list of cabinet ministers". eNCA. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Bathabile Dlamini takes ANC Women's League presidency". eNCA. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  11. ^ "'Stop trying to rule from the grave' ANCWL tells Motshekga". eNCA. 27 August 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  12. ^ Bendile, Dineo (15 September 2017). "Motshekga gives league a headache". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  13. ^ "IN FULL l Ramaphosa hires and fires - read his Cabinet reshuffle speech". TimesLIVE. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Who is in and who is out: Ramaphosa's Cabinet reshuffle". News24. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  15. ^ Fengu, Msindisi (6 January 2019). "Newsmaker: Angie believes her legacy is a stable curriculum". News24. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  16. ^ Nicolson, Greg (29 May 2019). "Ramaphosa cuts Cabinet from 36 to 28 ministers, half of whom are women". The Daily Maverick. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  17. ^ Hunter, Qaanitah (30 May 2019). "Who's in and who's out of SA's 2019 cabinet". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  18. ^ Ndlovu, Siyanda (15 February 2021). "WATCH: Educated men don't rape, Motshekga tells learners". The Citizen. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  19. ^ Mlambo, Sihle (15 February 2021). "Motshekga says 'educated man won't rape' comment taken out of context, offers no apology". IOL. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  20. ^ "SA: Angie Motshekga: Address by Basic Education Minister, during the announcement of the 2013 National Senior Certificate Grade 12 examinations results, Johannesburg (06/01/2014)". www.polity.org.za. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  21. ^ MTSHALI, NONTOBEKO. "This English exam paper, she take the cake". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  22. ^ Rice, Catherine. "PODCAST | The Story: Solving the unsolvable - matric maths paper and the infamous question 5". News24. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  23. ^ Letshwiti-Jones, Pule. "Motshekga appointed acting president". News24. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  24. ^ "Ramaphosa calls family meeting to announce GNU Cabinet". News24. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  25. ^ United Nations Establishes Teaching Profession High-Level Panel to Build on Outcomes of Transforming Education Summit United Nations, press release of 19 June 2023.
  26. ^ Mothombeni, Aubrey (8 May 2018). "Angie Motshekga's son in fight over lavish property". Sunday World. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
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