Susan Shabangu

Susan Shabangu was appointed as Minister of Social Development on 27 February 2018. Ms Susan Shabangu was the Minister of Women in the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa from 26 May 2014 until 26 February 2018.

She has been a member of the African National Congress (ANC) National Working Committee since December 2007 and a member of National Executive Council (NEC) of African National Congress (ANC).

Ms Shabangu attended Madibane High School in Soweto in 1977. Ms Shabangu became involved in politics from 1980. She has served as assistant secretary for the Federation of South African Women and the Federation of Transvaal; she was an active member of the Anti-Republic Campaign Committee in 1981, and she was involved in the formation of the Release Mandela Campaign Committee in 1982.

She was an organiser and administrator for the Amalgamated Black Worker’s Project from 1984 to 1985; a representative of the Transport and General Workers’ Union (T and GWU) at the Industrial Council; and a National Women’s co-ordinator for the Transport and General Workers Union (T&GWU). She was also a member of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) National Women’s Subcommittee working with women’s issues and representing the T&GWU on national level. She was involved in the voter education programme with Cosatu’s national election task team aimed at workers during the election campaign.

She served in the ANC’s National Election Steering Committee and was elected at a Cosatu special congress as a regional candidate to the National Assembly in 1994. Ms Shabangu was and advisor to the September Commission assigned to look at the future of the unions during the transitional stage, and subsequently became a Member of Parliament. She has actively participated in committees such as Labour, Transport and Trade and Industry during that period.

Ms Shabangu also served in the ANC?s East Rand PCO Management Committee from 1995 to 1996.

She served as Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy from April 1996 to April 2004, and as a Deputy Minister of Safety and Security from April 2004 to May 2009 before being appointed as Minister of Mineral Resources from 11 May 2009 till 25 May 2014.