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Des Van Rooyen

Current Position: 
  • ​Minister of CoGTA
  • Minister Des Van Rooyen has a long and illustrious history in the liberation movement. He was involved in politics since the mid-1980s and is a former MK operative and soldier since 1986. In addition to this he has held various leadership positions in the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) at Bethel High School and Khutsong Students Congress at Badirile High School. He was also a United Democratic Front (UDF) representative and a member of the National Union of Mineworkers. He skipped the country during the apartheid era and went into exile, living in Mozambique and Tanzania, earning the nickname the “Scorpion.” During the democratic era he served as a Ward Councillor and Member of the Mayoral Committee on Public Safety at Merafong Municipality, eventually becoming the Executive Mayor, a position he held for six years. He was also appointed as Chair of the South African Local Government Association in the North West province. He was appointed as the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on 13 December 2015.

 
Positions held: 
  • COSAS-Branch EXCO (1984-1986)
  • Chairperson Khutsong Student Congress (1986-1987)
  • UDF Representative – Area Khutsong- (1986-1989)
  • Roman Catholic Church Youth Club President (1986 – 1989)
  • West Rand Youth Congress-Exco (1987-1989)
  • MK Operative (1986-1989)
  • MK Soldier (1989-1994)
  • NUM Member (1988-1989)
  • ANCYL Branch leader (1994-1996)
  • ANCYL Regional Leader (1996-2003)
  • ANC Branch Leader (1994-1997)
  • ANC Regional Leader (1997-2007)
  • ANC Provincial leader (2007-2009)
  • Executive Mayor of Merafong Municipality (2003 – 2009)
  • Chair SALGA North West (2007 – 2009)
  • Member of Parliament (2009 -)
  • ANC Whip Economic Transformation Cluster (2009 – 2014)
  • ANC Whip of Standing Committee on Finance (2014 – 2015)

 
Qualifications
  • Advanced Business Management Diploma (2000-2004)
  • Diploma in Municipal Governance (2002-2003)
  • Certificate in Municipal Governance (2004-2005)
  • Certificate in Councillor Development (2005-2006)
  • Certificate in Economic & Public Finance (2007-2008)
  • Masters in Public Development & Management – Wits University (2006-2009)
  • Masters of Science in Finance (Economic Policy) – University of London (2011 – 2014)
  • Certificate in Investment and Portfolio Management (2014 – 2015)
His personal interests include soccer, golf, tennis, reading and hunting.
 
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