Derek Hanekom | |
|---|---|
 Derek Hanekom during the 10th Plenary of theGroup on Earth Observations (GEO-X) in Geneva. | |
| Minister of Tourism | |
| In office 27 February 2018 – 29 May 2019 | |
| President | Cyril Ramaphosa |
| Preceded by | Tokozile Xasa |
| Succeeded by | Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane |
| In office 25 May 2014 – 30 March 2017 | |
| President | Jacob Zuma |
| Preceded by | Marthinus van Schalkwyk |
| Succeeded by | Tokozile Xasa |
| Minister of Science and Technology | |
| In office 4 October 2012 – 25 May 2014 | |
| President | Jacob Zuma |
| Preceded by | Naledi Pandor |
| Succeeded by | Naledi Pandor |
| Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs | |
| In office 1996–1999 | |
| President | Nelson Mandela |
| Preceded by | Kraai van Niekerk |
| Succeeded by | Thoko Didiza |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Derek Andre Hanekom (1953-01-13)13 January 1953 (age 72) Cape Town,Cape ProvinceUnion of South Africa |
| Nationality | South African citizenship |
| Political party | African National Congress |
| Spouse | Trish Hanekom |
| Relations | Braam Hanekom |
| Occupation | Politician |
Derek Andre Hanekom (born 13 January 1953) is a South African retired politician, activist and former cabinet minister currently serving as the interim Chairman ofSouth African Airways.[1]
He is currently serving as a presidential envoy for South Africa mandated to promote investment with a focus on tourism. He was previouslyMinister of Tourism from 27 February 2018 until 29 May 2019. In his capacity as Minister of Tourism he was responsible forSouth African Tourism, the official nationalmarketing agency of theSouth African government, with the goal of promotingTourism in South Africa both locally and globally.[2][3]
He previously served asMinister of Science and Technology from October 2012 until 2014.[4] He was Deputy Minister of Science and Technology having served under the then-PresidentsKgalema Motlanthe andThabo Mbeki,[5] and former PresidentJacob Zuma in May 2009.[6] He has a strongAfrican National Congress (ANC) history having served three years in prison for the work he did for the ANC duringapartheid, with his wife Trish Hanekom who served three years for her involvement.
He is also a formerMinister of Agriculture and Land Affairs, having served under the Mandela administration. Hanekom's tenure as Minister of Land Affairs was reflective of his career in the anti-apartheidNGO sector and he was selected by former PresidentNelson Mandela partly because of his ability as anAfrikaner to negotiate with white landowners. Hanekom's tenure as minister was marked by an affinity for redistribution as opposed to retribution, and rights as opposed to property. Some have cited a strong contrast with his successor in the ministry during the Mbeki administration,Thoko Didiza.
Hanekom was a member of the ANC National Executive Committee from 1994 to 2022 and the NEC deployee to theWestern Cape - the only province the ANC does not govern.
Hanekom was born in Cape Town, South Africa on 13 January 1953. He spent his school career in Cape Town, attending the German Primary School and then matriculating from prominent Afrikaans school,Jan van Riebeeck High School in 1970. Hanekom went on to complete his compulsory conscription in theSouth African Defence Force between 1971 and 1973. Thereafter, Hanekom travelled abroad where he worked for various organisations including working on farms, factories and building sites. He then returned to South Africa in his early twenties where he continued farming. Working the land, Hanekom was a dairy, poultry, and vegetable farmer from 1978 - 1983.[7]
Hanekom is married to academic Patricia (Trish) Hanekom.
As a 23-year-old in 1976, Hanekom was arrested for participating in a peaceful candlelight demonstration atJohn Vorster Square, the Police Headquarters inJohannesburg. Four years later, in 1980, Hanekom and Patricia joined the ANC, conducting underground activities while continuing to farm on asmallholding inMagaliesburg. Patricia and Hanekom fed information to the parent body ANC, such as the apartheid Defence Force's attempts to overthrow the Mozambican government through the rebel movement, Renamo.[8] Both were then arrested in 1983. They were initially charged with high treason, the worst offence against the State, but the charge was subsequently reduced due to the international sensitivity of the case.[8]
After spending three years in prison, Hanekom started work with the trade union movement in Johannesburg. Patricia was released a year later, in 1987, but was subsequently deported to Zimbabwe, where the couple went into exile for three years. During this period, Hanekom served as the co-ordinator of the Popular History Trust[9] in the capitalHarare.
After three years in exile and as the apartheid government unbanned previously banned political organisations,[10] Hanekom returned to South Africa in 1990 to work at theheadquarters of the ANC, where he was responsible for policy formulation on land and agricultural matters, during the period of negotiations prior to the first democratic elections in 1994.
Under founding democratic President Nelson Mandela, Hanekom was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs from 1996 to 1999. In his capacity, Hanekom piloted various reform bills throughParliament which aimed to redress the injustices and inequities caused by apartheid laws and the 1913 Land Act.[8] Much of the South African land reform legislation was initiated, drafted, and enacted during Hanekom's term. This legislation laid the foundation for land reform in the post-apartheid era.
From 1999 to 2004, Hanekom served as a Member of Parliament on various Parliamentary Committees. In April 2004, Hanekom was appointed Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, a position he served in until he was promoted in October 2012 to Minister of Science and Technology. As Minister, Hanekom served until 25 May 2014 before moving his portfolio to Tourism.
Hanekom was replaced as Minister of Tourism on 31 March 2017 but remained an ANC member of parliament after he filed a motion of no confidence against PresidentJacob Zuma.[11] He was one of five ministers who lost their positions following their criticism of the president's controversial relationship with theGupta family and accusations of corruption against President Zuma.[12] PresidentCyril Ramaphosa appointed him to the ministerial post once again on 27 February 2018.
Following the 2019 national elections, President Ramaphosa appointedMmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane as the new Minister of Tourism. Hanekom resigned as an MP on 11 June 2019.[13]
Hanekom was a member of the ANC's National Executive Committee since 1994; National Working Committee; Chairperson of the National Disciplinary Committee and NEC Convener of the Western Cape.
He also serves as the Deputy Chairperson of the Board of theAhmed Kathrada Foundation.[14]
In August 2019 Hanekom took former PresidentJacob Zuma to court fordefamation of character following Zuma's allegation onTwitter that Hanekom was a "known enemy agent".[15][16] The court found Zuma's statement to be false and deflationary and ordered Zuma to issue a full and unconditional apology and retraction of his allegation.[17][18]
Ahead of the ANC's55th National Conference in December 2022, Hanekom announced that he had declined the nomination for another term on the ANC NEC and would be retiring from politics at the conference. Hanekom said in an interview withEyewitness News that he would continue being "critical voice" in the party.[19][20] In April 2023, Hanekom was appointed as non-executive Chairman ofSouth African Airways.[1]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Minister of Land Affairs 1994–1996 | Succeeded by himself asMinister of Agriculture and Land Affairs |
| Preceded byasMinister of Agriculture | Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs 1996–1999 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by himself asMinister of Land Affairs | ||
| Preceded by | Minister of Science and Technology 2012-2014 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Tourism 2014-2017 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
