Gwen Ramokgopa
Treasurer-General of the African National Congress
Assumed office
19 December 2022
PresidentCyril Ramaphosa
Preceded byPaul Mashatile
Chancellor of the Tshwane University of Technology
Assumed office
10 June 2015
Preceded byPhumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
Gauteng MEC for Health
In office
February 2017 – May 2019
PremierDavid Makhura
Preceded byQedani Mahlangu
Succeeded byBandile Masuku
In office
1999–2006
PremierMbhazima Shilowa
Preceded byMondli Gungubele
Succeeded byBrian Hlongwa
Deputy Minister of Health
In office
31 October 2010 – May 2014
PresidentJacob Zuma
MinisterAaron Motsoaledi
Succeeded byJoe Phaahla
Deputy Provincial Chairperson of the Gauteng African National Congress
In office
May 2010 – October 2014
ChairpersonPaul Mashatile
Preceded byNomvula Mokonyane
Succeeded byDavid Makhura
Mayor of Tshwane
In office
17 March 2006 – 31 October 2010
Preceded bySmangaliso Mkhatshwa
Succeeded byKgosientso Ramokgopa
Personal details
Born
Gwen Malegwale Ramokgopa

Atteridgeville, Transvaal, South Africa
Political partyAfrican National Congress
SpouseAllen Lephoko
Children3
EducationMedical University of South Africa (MBChB)

Gwen Malegwale Ramokgopa is a South African politician who was elected the Treasurer-General of the governing African National Congress (ANC) in December 2022. She was formerly the Deputy Minister of Health under President Jacob Zuma from October 2010 to May 2014.

A medical doctor by training, Ramokgopa began her political career in the provincial government of Gauteng. She was the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Health in Gauteng from 1999 to 2006 and again from 2017 to 2019. She was also the first female Mayor of Tshwane from 2006 until 2010, when she was elevated to national office. At the same time, she was a member of the ANC Provincial Executive Committee in Gauteng, serving as ANC Deputy Provincial Chairperson to Paul Mashatile (2010 to 2014) and then as ANC Deputy Provincial Secretary to Hope Papo (2014 to 2018). She was elected to the party's National Executive Committee for the first time in 2017.

Early career and education

Ramokgopa was born and raised in Atteridgeville, a township outside Pretoria in what is now Gauteng province (then the Transvaal).[1][2] She qualified as a medical doctor in 1989 at the Medical University of South Africa[2] and worked as a medical officer at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital until 1992.[3] In subsequent years she held several positions in public health,[2][3] and later, in 2007, she received a Master's degree in public health.[3]

Career in government

Health MEC: 1998–2006

In 1999, she was appointed Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Health in the Gauteng provincial government of Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa,[2][4] with whom she was reported to be close.[5] In 2003, she caused mild controversy by insisting that the Ga-Rankuwa Hospital (where she previously worked) should be renamed after a local doctor and activist named George Mukhari; the opposition Democratic Alliance claimed that Ramokgopa had not consulted the community about the decision and that she was motivated by her personal friendship with the Mukhari family.[6][2] She vacated the MEC position in 2006.[7]

Tshwane Mayor: 2006–2010

In March 2006, pursuant to the 2006 local elections, Ramokgopa was elected the first female Mayor of Tshwane, leading the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.[1][8] While mayor she pursued a stubborn campaign to rebrand Pretoria – the administrative capital of South Africa and part of the Tshwane municipality – as Tshwane.[2][5][9] The Daily Maverick said she was "a disaster" as Mayor.[10] She left the job in November 2010 and was replaced by her nephew,[11] Kgosientso "Sputla" Ramokgopa.[12][13]

Deputy Minister of Health: 2010–2014

Ramokgopa left the mayoral office because President Jacob Zuma, in a cabinet reshuffle on 31 October, had appointed her national Deputy Minister of Health under Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.[14] In May 2014, after the 2014 general election, she was replaced as Deputy Minister by Joe Phaahla.[15]

The following year, during the #FeesMustFall student protests, she was appointed the Chancellor of the Tshwane University of Technology, a primarily ceremonial position;[16] she remained Chancellor as of November 2021.[17]

Health MEC: 2017–2019

In February 2017, Ramokgopa was returned to her earlier position as Gauteng MEC for Health, this time by Premier David Makhura. She succeeded Qedani Mahlangu, who had resigned shortly after the Life Esidimeni scandal broke.[4] Upon taking office, Ramokgopa promised of the tragedy that her department would "reflect on this experience, as difficult as it is, and find ways to restore the confidence of our people in our health system".[2] In the May 2019 general election she was not re-elected to a seat in the Gauteng provincial legislature and she vacated her seat on the Executive Council.[18]

Career in the ANC

Provincial Executive Committee: 2010–2018

In May 2010, while still Tshwane Mayor, Ramokgopa was elected Deputy Provincial Chairperson of the ANC in Gauteng, deputising Paul Mashatile. She beat Bafana Sibisi to be elected to the position, receiving 513 votes against Sibisi's 364,[19] and was viewed as having run on an informal slate aligned to Mashatile.[5] At the party's next provincial elective conference in October 2014, she was elected ANC Deputy Provincial Secretary, serving under Hope Papo,[20] and completed a four-year term in that office before she was succeeded by Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in 2018.[21]

Secretary-General's office: 2022

At the ANC's 54th National Conference in December 2017, Ramokgopa was elected to the party's National Executive Committee (NEC).[22] She was later co-opted[23] onto the NEC's National Working Committee.[24] In 2022 she assumed additional duties at the ANC's headquarters at Luthuli House: as ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule was suspended and Deputy Secretary-General Jessie Duarte was ill, she was recruited as a coordinator in the Secretary-General's office to assist acting Secretary-General Paul Mashatile (who was simultaneously fulfilling his main role as Treasurer-General).[7][25][26] Ramokgopa was generally described as a political ally of incumbent national President and ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa.[26][27]

ANC Treasurer-General: 2022–

Ahead of the ANC's 55th National Conference, Ramokgopa was viewed as a likely candidate for the position of ANC Secretary-General.[7][26] In October 2022, she was listed as the preferred Treasurer-General on a slate of candidates endorsed and circulated by figures in the party's pro-Ramaphosa faction.[28][29][30][31] During the nominations phase, however, local party branches were not sufficiently supportive of her campaign for her to appear on the provisional ballot.[32]

When the conference began in December 2022, Ramokgopa received two last-minute nominations from the floor of the conference. She declined a nomination to stand as Deputy Secretary-General,[33] but accepted a nomination to stand as Treasurer-General.[34] On 19 December, it was announced that she had won the election with 41.76% of the vote in a crowded race: she received 1,809 votes, compared with 1,652 to Pule Mabe, 590 to Bejani Chauke, and 281 to Mzwandile Masina.[35]

Personal life

She is married to Allen Lephoko, with whom she has three children.[2][36]

References

  1. ^ a b "Tshwane Welcomes New Executive Mayor". City of Tshwane. 17 March 2006. Archived from the original on 20 November 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Ho, Ufrieda (20 September 2017). "Spotlight on health MECs: Gwen Ramokgopa". Spotlight. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "TUT Chancellor appointed a snew MEC of Health in Gauteng". Tshwane University of Technology. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  4. ^ a b "'It's challenging admits new Gauteng Health MEC' Gwen Ramokgopa". Sunday Times. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Grootes, Stephen (13 May 2010). "The Irrepressible Gwen Ramokgopa". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  6. ^ "What's in a name". News24. 8 June 2003. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Grootes, Stephen (11 April 2022). "Gwen Ramokgopa for ANC Secretary-General?". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Ramokgopa Looks Forward to Working in Home Town". Bua News. 17 March 2006. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  9. ^ "Moves afoot to rename Pretoria". The Mail & Guardian. 3 August 2007. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  10. ^ Brkic, Branko (8 May 2010). "Paul (The Survivor) Mashatile trounces Nomvula (Still The Premier) Mokonyane". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Tshwane mayor: All in the family". The Mail & Guardian. 9 July 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  12. ^ "Ramokgopa takes over from aunt as Tshwane mayor". The Mail & Guardian. 2 November 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  13. ^ "Ekurhuleni welcomes corruption probe". News24. 10 November 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  14. ^ "President Zuma announces changes to the National Executive". The Presidency. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Full list of Jacob Zuma's 2014 cabinet". BizNews. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  16. ^ Makhubu, Ntando (11 June 2015). "Gwen takes TUT reins". IOL. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Dr Gwen Ramokgopa honours the 2021 top academic achievers". Tshwane University of Technology. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  18. ^ "Gwen Malegwale Ramokgopa". People's Assembly. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  19. ^ "Mashatile retains position as ANC chairperson". The Mail & Guardian. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Mashatile retains ANC Gauteng top post". Business Day. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  21. ^ Hunter, Qaanitah (22 July 2018). "David Makhura's unopposed ANC Gauteng victory – another beginning, another election to be fought". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Here is the ANC's new NEC". Citypress. 21 December 2017. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  23. ^ "ANC elects new national working committee". The Mail & Guardian. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  24. ^ "National Working Committee". African National Congress. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  25. ^ "ANC provincial secretaries fear their powers will be usurped". The Mail & Guardian. 1 February 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  26. ^ a b c "Ramokgopa hints at a restructured ANC leadership with more women at helm". Business Day. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  27. ^ Boonzaaier, Dawie (21 February 2022). "Cyril's camp plays its ace: Her name is Gwen". City Press. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  28. ^ Butler, Anthony (20 October 2022). "The ABC slate spells disaster for SA". Business Day. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  29. ^ Khumalo, Juniour (12 October 2022). "CR22 caucus settles on Ramaphosa's running mates, despite ANC divisions". News24. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  30. ^ Madia, Tshidi (13 October 2022). "Ramaphosa supporters say proposed slate for top six has hard-working individuals". EWN. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  31. ^ Hunter, Juniour Khumalo and Qaanitah (11 October 2022). "Inside CR22 caucus' contentious line-up: Mchunu and Mbalula tipped for powerful ANC posts". News24. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  32. ^ "ANC elective conference: These are the leading contenders for top six positions". Citizen. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  33. ^ "NEC top seven: Tighter race now expected as voting kicks off". Business Day. 18 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  34. ^ Merten, Marianne (18 December 2022). "Leadership nominations finalised after delays and horse-trading amid plentiful slate permutations". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  35. ^ "Ramaphosa wins big with four allies in top seven". City Press. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  36. ^ "Now mayor's husband accused of assault". IOL. 25 March 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2022.

External links

Mayors of the City of Tshwane
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