Career/Positions/Memberships/Other Activities
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Editor of the Thinker
Dr Essop Goolam Pahad,
Read Dr Essop Goolam Pahad, speeches from
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999
Dr Essop Goolam Pahad:
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000
Dr. Pahad obtained a BA degree in Political Science at Wits University in 1963 where he was actively involved in student politics. During his student his days at university, he was always aware of the fragile and volatile political landscape in the country, resulting from the system of racism and apartheid. He later graduated from Sussex University with a MA in African Politics, and subsequently obtained Ph D in History from the same university. His Ph D thesis was entitled: 'The Development of Indian political movements in South Africa 1924-1946'. His involvement in the political struggle began from the age of 13 in the work of the Transvaal Indian Youth Congress on whose Executive Committee he subsequently served from 1957 - 1964.
After the banning of the African National Congress (ANC), he became part of TIYC volunteers who, despite the risks of arrest and imprisonment produced and distributed ANC pamphlets and posters from 1960 to 1963
He was arrested and imprisoned for two weeks and later charged together with Moosa Moolla for organizing an 'illegal strike', for which they were found not guilty between 1962 and 1963. Faced with escalating Apartheid persecution, Pahad went into exile in December 1964, where he served on leadership structures of the ANC and the South African Communist Party (SACP). In exile, in addition to obtaining an MA and PhD from the University of Sussex, he graduated from the Institute of Social Science in Moscow. In the early 1980’s he completed a short military course in Angola.
Dr. Pahad represented the SACP on the Editorial Council of the World Marxist Review between1975 and 1985. He also served on the regional command of the ANC's Political and Military Council in London, before returning to South Africa in 1990 after the unbanning of the liberation movements.
Since the onset of the democratic, non-racial government in 1994, Dr. Pahad served as the Parliamentary Councillor to the Deputy President, Thabo Mbeki from May 1994 to July 1996. From 1996 to 16 June 1999 he was the Deputy Minister in the Office of the Executive Deputy President, Thabo Mbeki. From 1999 until he resigned in September 2008 he served as Minister in the Presidency. He published numerous articles in journals of the SACP and ANC and also co-edited two books of President Thabo Mbeki's speeches entitled: Africa, the Time has Come; and Africa, Define Yourself. As chair of SADET he has and is contributing to the publishing of at least 5 volumes dealing with the history of South Africa
- Minister in the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa since 17 June 1999 with specific responsibility for the Office on the Rights of the Child (ORC), Office on the Status People with Disabilities(OSPD), Office on the Status of Women (OSW)
- Executive Authority charged with the administration of the National Youth Commission Act of 1996 (amended in 2000); providing political and strategic guidance;
- Minister and Executing Authority of GCIS (Government Communication and Information System);
- Executive Authority of the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) in terms of the PFMA (Public Finance Management Act);
- Member of the Board of the International Marketing Council (IMC);
- Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the South African Democracy Education Trust. (2000 - );
- Member of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of the SA 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup Local Organizing Committee (2004 - 2009 ); In that time was Chairperson of the 2010 Subcommittee on Communication and Marketing
- Member of the Legacy and Legal Committee
- Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the SA / Mali Timbuktu Manuscripts Trust (2003 - )
- Member of the Ministers’ Committee for the International Aids Advisory Panel, which forms part of the new extended South African National Aids Council (SANAC) Core Group of Ministers;
- Member of the following Cabinet Committees: Economic sector, Social sector, International Relations, Peace and Security cluster, Governance and Administration cluster;
- Convened an ad hoc group to assist in advancing the work of the Freedom Park Trust;
- Worked closely with the SA Chapter of the African Renaissance;
- Presented Cabinet Committee meetings as well as the Cabinet all Cabinet memoranda emanating from The Presidency.
- Compiled and presented current affairs discussions as a standing item at all Cabinet meetings.
- He was a Member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of ANC 1995 - 2007
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Dr Pahad resigned as Minister in The Presidency as well as Parliament with effect from 25 September 2008.
He has extensive experience and expertise in Marketing and Communication, Human Resource Development and in the areas of Management and Administration.
He has a deep knowledge and understanding of International Affairs, Socio-economic issues and political and policy developments in South Africa and the world.