Mildred Oliphant

Mildred Oliphant is the Minister of Labour of the Republic of South Africa; a position she held from 1 November 2010, and was re-appointed on 26 May 2014.

She has been a member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC) since 2012, and is the chairperson of the ANC Caucus in the National Parliament.

She has been member of Parliament since 1994 and regional convener of African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) North Coast region from 2008; She has also been a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Executive Committee and Provincial Treasury of the ANCWL since 2008.

Ms Oliphant holds a Certificate in Macroeconomics, a Certificate in Project Management and a Certificate in Elections Observer Mission.

Ms Oliphant was a passionate former trade unionist and a leader of the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU), who has a strong interests in the plight of workers. She served as a chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Services; and was the house chairperson of committees in the National Council of Provinces.

She also served as a house chairperson on International Relations in the National Assembly.

She was chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs and chairperson of the Joint Rules, Joint Programme and Joint Ethics and Members Interest committees.

She was a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature; a member and Convener of the Health Study Group at the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature; a member of the National Council of Provinces and provincial whip; She was regional secretary of the ANC North Coast region; Local treasurer of SACCAWU; local secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU);

Ms Oliphant served as chairperson of the COSATU Women’s Forum; and was regional chairperson of the ANCWL for the North Coast region.