- Julius Malema says EFF members in Parliament should have qualifications, with at least 10 of them having PhDs.
- We have compiled a list of six South African politicians who comprise of various qualifications.
- Angie Motshekga and Naledi Pandor have obtained Master's degrees and Dr Blade Ndzimande has obtained a Doctorate.
The 2024 South African general elections are approaching and thousands and maybe millions of citizens remain undecided on which political party they will be voting for.
With the ANC, DA and EFF being the big three parties, we have seen a rise from other political parties such as Action SA, Patriotic Alliance and the controversial MK Party.
The question is, which traits should a political party portray for one to consider putting a mark on their name on 29 May 2024?
Is it the party’s popularity, is it its historical significance or is it the evident work that they are currently putting in to make a change?
Or should we also start considering the educational background of the party members, and like any other job, determine their capabilities based on their educational qualifications?
An IOL article highlighted that the president of the EFF, Julius Malema, said members of the EFF who will be in Parliament should have passed matric (Grade 12) and have a higher educational qualification. He further alluded that at least 10 of them should have PhDs.
However, is education valued in every South African political party? With the president of the DA, John Steenhuizen, having only completed his matric as reported by IOL and the former president of the ANC Jacob Zuma, constantly critiqued for dropping out of school, will we be seeing more educated political leaders?
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Here are six South African ministers who have higher educational qualifications according to the South African Government website:
Angelina Motshekga
The minister of basic education, Angelina ‘Angie’ Motshekga, holds multiple qualifications from the Faculty of Education from the University of the North and Wits University, with her highest qualification being a master’s degree from Wits University.
Naledi Pandor
Naledi Pandor is currently the minister of international relations and cooperation and, similar to Angie, she also holds multiple qualifications in the faculty of education from institutions in Botswana and London. Her highest qualification is a master's degree in education from the University of London and a master's degree in general linguistics from the University of Stellenbosch.
President Cyril Ramaphosa
President Ramaphosa is a qualified lawyer and holds a law degree from the University of South Africa.
Dr Blade Ndzimande
The minister of higher education, Science, and Technology, Dr Blade Ndzimande, holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Natal.
Thembi Nkadimeng
Thembi Nkadimeng is currently the minister of cooperative governance and traditional Affairs. She holds a bachelor of arts honours degree from the University of the North West and a bachelor of philosophy from the University of Stellenbosh.
Bheki Cele
Lastly, we have the popular minister of police who surprisingly holds a teaching qualification. It is not stipulated where he obtained his qualification and how he became the minister of police.
