Welhemina Reshoketswe Tshabalala
Welhemina Reshoketswe Tshabalala is the Acting Director-General of the Department of Women. Born on 02 May 1962, Ms WR Tshabalala is responsible for the Department of Women with effect from 05 April 2018. She joined the Department in August 2017 as Deputy Director General responsible for Social Transformation and Economic Empowerment (STEE).
Ms WR Tshabalala holds a B.A in Social Work from the University of Zululand and a B.A. Social Work Honours from the University of South Africa (UNISA). She completed an Executive Management Development Programme with UNISA and she also obtained a Certificate Programme in Human Resources from UNISA.
Ms WR Tshabalala joined the government as a Social Worker in the Gauteng Department of Social Development; she then became the Social Work Supervisor in the same department. Ms Tshabalala also became the Deputy Director: welfare services in the Department of Social Development and her achievements amongst others was the setting up of the first victim support centre linked to Gauteng Police Stations and have facilitated the rolling out of many such centres across the province.
She then joined the Gauteng Office of the Premier as the Director: Gender, Youth and Disability (GEYODI). She spearheaded the setting up of the GEYODI office and crafted the first gender and disability policies for the Gauteng provincial government.
She became the Chief Director: Social Crime Prevention Directorate, Road Safety Education Directorate and Communication Directorate. Some of the achievements in Social Crime Prevention include the establishment of “take Charge Campaign”’ setting up and launch of the patrollers programme now linked to the school safety programme, the development of the first school safety strategy and men as partners programme in an effort to transform gender relations including facilitating the establishment of Ikhaya Lethemba which is a one stop shelter for abused women and children. She was also responsible for Communications. One of her achievements regarding Road Safety Directorate was the development of the first Road Safety Strategy in Gauteng.
Deputy Director General: Social Welfare Services in the Gauteng Department of Health & Social Development. She re-joined the Gauteng Department of Social Development as the Head of Department: Social Development. Ms Tshabalala is one of the two HODs that have won the award of best HOD for 2017/18 financial year, and best functional provincial department. She has 35 years of experience in the public service.
She joined the Ministry in the Presidency Responsible for Women in August 2017 as Deputy Director General responsible for Social Transformation and Economic Empowerment (STEE).