Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
The new cabinet members
CONNIE SEPTEMBER – Minister of Human Settlements: September started her career in the textile industry in Cape Town, working at Rex Trueform for 20 years. She later became a South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union shop steward, and the first female vice president of Cosatu. In 1996 she chaired the September Commission, which produced a report on the future of trade unions. She became an MP in 1999, and has served on portfolio committees for trade and industry, water affairs and international relations. She continued to work as a shop steward in Salt River even after being sworn in as an MP. YUNUS CARRIM – Minister of Communications: Carrim is a former deputy minister of the Department of CoOperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. He has worked as a journalist and as a lecturer. He lists cinema, jazz and walking as personal interests in his profile on the ANC website. According to his declaration of members’ interests last year, he owns shares valued at R5 000 in MTN, which he may now have to sell as this could be seen as a conflict of interest with his new portfolio. He is a SACP central committee member. LECHESA TSENOLI – Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs: Former deputy minister of Rural Development and Land Reform. He has served as chairman of the National Assembly’s portfolio committee for Co-Operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. He lists reading and jazz as his personal interests. He has a history in the United Democratic Front, and is a former president of the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco). He was Free State MEC of local government and housing between 1999 and 2004.