Tina Joemat-Pettersson is a prominent South African politician who has held various positions in government and parliament.
She is known for her involvement in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and energy. She is also a strong advocate for women’s rights, education and social justice.
She is a loyal member of the African National Congress (ANC) and a close ally of former President Jacob Zuma.
Many admire her courage, charisma and goodwill, but she also faces much criticism and controversy for some of her decisions and actions.
File
- Full name: Tina Monica Joemat-Pettersson
- Date of birth: December 16, 1963
- Age: 60 years old (at the time of her death)
- Gender: Female
- Place of birth: Kimberley, South Africa
- Nationality: South African
- Occupation: Politician
- Height: 1.65 m
- Parents: John Joemat and Monica Joemat
- Siblings: None
- Spouse: Thorvald Pettersson (deceased)
- Children: Two
- Relationship status: Widowed
- Net worth: $5 million
Early life and education
Tina Joemat-Pettersson, 60 years old when she died in 2023, was born on December 16, 1963 in Kimberley, South Africa.
She is the only child of John and Monica Joemat, both teachers and activists. She grew up in a politically conscious family and witnessed the struggles of the oppressed and marginalized in South Africa.
She was a member of the Azani Student Organization (AZASO) and participated in the anti-apartheid movement.
She was also a labour activist and joined the National Education Union of South Africa (NEUSA) and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU).
She attended the University of Cape Town and the University of the Western Cape, where she obtained an Executive Diploma in Education, English and History and a Diploma in Education.
She worked as a teacher before entering politics. She taught in several schools in the Northern Cape and Western Cape and was also a lecturer at the University of the Western Cape.
Personal life
Tina Joemat-Pettersson married Thorvald Pettersson, a Swedish citizen, in 1991.
They met in Sweden when she was on a study tour funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). They have two children, a son and a daughter.
Thorvald Pettersson was a businessman and philanthropist who supported various South African causes, especially education and health. He died in 2006 after a long illness.
Tina Joemat-Pettersson was devastated by his death and described him as her soul mate and best friend. She never remarried and remained a devoted mother to her children.
Career
Tina Joemat-Pettersson began her political career in 1994 when she was elected to the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature as a member of the ANC.
She became the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Education, Arts and Culture the same year. She is responsible for improving the quality of education and promoting cultural diversity in the province.
She also initiated a number of projects and programmes to empower women, youth and rural communities. She served as MEC for Education from 1999 to 2004 and MEC for Agriculture and Land Reform from 2004 to 2009.
She played a key role in developing the agricultural sector and promoting land reform and restitution in the Northern Cape.
She entered the South African Parliament in 2009 and was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Jacob Zuma’s first Cabinet.
She oversees the implementation of various policies and strategies aimed at enhancing food security, supporting small-scale farmers and protecting the country’s natural resources and biodiversity.
She also fought for the rights of women and workers in the agricultural sector.
She has faced many challenges and controversies during her tenure, such as allegations of corruption, mismanagement and abuse of power.
She was accused of awarding illegal contracts, wasting public funds and interfering in the work of state agencies.
She was also involved in a legal dispute with the Public Ombudsman over an investigation into a controversial lease for the department’s headquarters.
She became Minister of Energy in 2014 and served until 2017 under President Zuma. She was tasked with ensuring the security and affordability of South Africa’s energy supply and promoting the development of renewable energy and nuclear power.
She was a key figure in negotiations with Russia and the United States over the proposed nuclear deal, which was widely criticized by the opposition, civil society and the media as secretive, costly and risky.
She was also accused of irregularly awarding contracts to independent power producers and failing to comply with parliamentary oversight and public consultation processes. She was sacked by President Zuma in a cabinet reshuffle in 2017.
She returned to Parliament in 2019 and became Chair of the Police Portfolio Committee, responsible for overseeing the performance and accountability of police forces and security agencies.
She also served on the special committee on the Section 194 Inquiry into the competency of suspended Prosecutor Busisiwe Mkhwebane. She supported the impeachment of Mkhwebane, who was accused of misconduct, incompetence and constitutional violations.
She ran for ANC Deputy Secretary General in 2018 but lost narrowly to Nomvula Mokonyane.
She remained loyal to the ANC and its leadership despite factional divisions and power struggles within the party. She is considered one of the country’s most influential and experienced female politicians.
Net worth
Tina Joemat-Pettersson had an estimated net worth of $5 million at the time of her death. She made her fortune from her salary as a politician and her investments in various businesses.
She also inherited some property from her late husband, a wealthy businessman.
Death
Tina Joemat-Pettersson died on 5 June 2023 in Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa. She died of a heart attack after a long battle with diabetes.
She was admitted to hospital a few days before her death and was in critical condition. She was surrounded by family and friends when she died. She was 59 years old.
Her death was mourned by the president, government, parliament, the ANC and the public. She was praised for her contributions to the development and transformation of South Africa, especially in the areas of education, agriculture and energy.
She is also remembered for her passion, courage and charisma. She was given a state funeral and buried in Kimberley, her hometown.
Argumentative
Tina Joemat-Pettersson is no stranger to controversy and scandal throughout her political career.
She has often been accused by critics and opponents of corruption, mismanagement, and abuse of power. Some of the most notable controversies she has faced include:
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries lease agreement: She is under investigation by the Public Prosecutor for allegedly signing an illegal and inflated lease for the department’s new office in Pretoria in 2011.
The deal was worth R500 million and was awarded to a company linked to her friends and associates. She was found to have acted improperly and recklessly and was ordered to repay some of the money.
She challenged these findings in court and claimed she was innocent and a victim.
Nuclear deal with Russia: She was involved in negotiations with Russia on a proposed nuclear deal, estimated to be worth 1 trillion Rand and which would see South Africa buy eight nuclear reactors from Russia.
She signed a secret deal with Russia in 2014 without consulting her cabinet, parliament or the public.
She was accused of undermining the constitution, the rule of law and the national interest. She defended the deal as consistent with the government’s energy policy and vision. The courts and the new administration eventually annulled the deal.
Independent Power Producer Contracts: She is accused of awarding irregular contracts to independent power producers (IPPs) to supply renewable energy to the national grid.
She is accused of ignoring the advice and objections of state power utility Eskom, which claimed the contracts were unaffordable and unnecessary.
It was also alleged that she favored some IPPs over others and received commissions and benefits from them. She denied the allegations and maintained that the contracts were transparent and beneficial to the country.
Social media
- Instagram Name: None
- Twitter Username: None
