Hon. Gwede Mantashe

Minister of Mineral Resources & Energy Republic of South Africa

Gwede Mantashe served as Minister of Mineral Resources (2018 - 2019). He is the National Chairperson of the ANC and he is also a former chairperson of the SACP. Gwede Mantashe was born in 1955 in the village of Lower Cala in the Transkei (now Eastern Cape). He studied at Unisa in 1997 and completed a B.Com Honours degree in 2002. He also acquired a Master's degree from the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) in 2008. Mr Mantashe joined the migratory labour force to eke out a living in the mining industry. Beginning his mining experience at Western Deep Levels mine in 1975 as a Recreation Officer and, in the same year, moved to Prieska Copper Mines where he was Welfare Officer until 1982.

In 1982, Mr Mantashe moved to Matla Colliery where he co-founded and became the Witbank branch chairperson of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), a position he held until 1984. He was then elected NUM Regional Secretary in 1985. In recognition of his skills, Mr Mantashe became the NUM's National Organiser from 1988 to 1993 and its Regional Coordinator between 1993 and 1994.