USAID Helps Parliamentarian Become a Deputy Minister

Elizabeth Thabethe, a graduate of USAID/South Africa‘s Economics training  for Parliamentarians, has been appointed as Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry. She was the leader of Cosatu’s (SA’s largest trade union) Commercial Catering Workers Union prior to being elected to Parliament in 1994. She was re-elected in 1999 and 2004, serving on the Labour, Trade and Industry, and Rules Committees, as well as being on the Chief Whip’s Forum, Convener of the Human Resources Cluster, and on both the African National Congress (“largest” political party and successful leader of anti-apartheid movement) and the Multi-party Women’s Parliamentary Caucuses. She was elected chairperson of the National Assembly’s Environmental Affairs and Tourism Committee in 2004.

Elizabeth was unable to secure her  secondary school graduation certificate because of involvement in anti-apartheid activities in the 1980s.

She joined USAID/South Africa’s  special economics education program for Parliamentarians because the rules on university admission were relaxed to reflect non-academic learning.  Elizabeth received her certificate in economics from UNISA (University of South Africa) and immediately went on to the diploma course at the University of the Western Cape – a special program also established by USAID. She expects to finish the diploma in 2006. The requirements of USAID’s program are the same as for regular students, but classes are taught at times permitted by Parliament’s schedule. The program is taught by South African professors, private sector economists, senior government  officials, plus professors from Williams College, Massachusetts in Boston.

Ms. Thabethe, whose constituency is in Germiston (east of Johannesburg), has been a leader in structuring USAID’s course this past year and making arrangements to extend the program to newly elected Parliamentarians. She is outspoken on women’s issues and was a key contact during USAID/South Africa’s recent gender assessment.