Sicelo Shiceka

Sicelo Shiceka
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
In office
May 2009 – current
Personal details
Born 8 June 1966 (1966-06-08) (age 45)
Nationality South African
Political party ANC

Sicelo Shiceka [1] (born 8 June 1966) is a South African politician.

A member of the African National Congress, Shiceka is a member of the National Assembly and was chosen by President Jacob Zuma as the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in May 2009. From 2008-09, Shiceka was the Minister of Provincial and Local Government under interim President Kgalema Motlanthe.[2]

Shiceka is currently on sick leave (since 24 February 2011), and his duties as Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs are being performed by the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa, in an acting capacity[3].

Biography

Previous positions held by him include Leader of the Azanian Students Organisation (1987), Provincial Secretary of the SACP (1991), Provincial Secretary of COSATU (1992) and Member of the Gauteng Provincial Executive Council of the ANC (1996)[2]. He was also a director of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee[2].

Shiceka earned an M.A. in Political Economy from the University of the Free State, and diplomas [1] in labour relations from the University of the Witwatersrand and in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.[2]

Controversy

In March 2011, accusations were leveled at Shiceka for allegedly abusing taxpayer money by using public funds to pay for luxury hotels stays, limousine services and first-class air travel tickets while flying for personal reasons[4]. This has led to widespread calls from opposition parties for his dismissal[5], to which Parliament's Ethics Committee responded by calling on the Public Protector to investigate the allegations[6] - the first time MPs from the ANC has officially called for a Cabinet Minister to be investigated for corruption since the party came to power in 1994. Following the publication of the report by the Public Protector [7]confirming Mr Shiceka had violated the Constitution and Executive Ethics Act, he was fired from the cabinet by Prime Minister Jacob Zuma. The Department of Co-operative Governance is now attempting to recover over R800 000 he spent illegally. Additional allegations have surfaced regarding an improper relationship between Shiceka and the chief financial officer of the bankrupt Madibeng Local Municipality, Nana Masithela[8].[9]

References

  1. ^ a b Sicelo Shiceka South African Government Information Site
  2. ^ a b c d Sicelo Shiceka Who's Who South Africa
  3. ^ "Mthethwa acting for Shiceka" (in en-za). News24. SAPA. 2011-03-07. http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Mthethwa-acting-for-Shiceka-20110307. Retrieved 17 April 2011. ""All ministry and department functions normally carried out by Shiceka would continue under Mthethwa's interim leadership, with the full support of Deputy Minister Yunus Carrim."" 
  4. ^ "Report: Shiceka spends on hotels, flights, jailed lover" (in en-za). News24. SAPA. 2011-04-09. http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Report-Shiceka-spends-on-hotels-flights-jailed-lover-20110409. Retrieved 17 April 2011. "Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka spent hundreds of thousands of rands of taxpayers’ money on luxury hotels, first class air tickets and on visiting a jailed girlfriend in Switzerland since taking up his Cabinet post in 2008, the Sunday Times newspaper reported." 
  5. ^ "Wasteful spending - 'Sack ministers'" (in en-za). News24. SAPA. 2011-04-11. http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Wasteful-spending-Sack-ministers-20110411. Retrieved 17 April 2011. "The African Christian Democratic Party on Monday urged President Jacob Zuma to investigate wasteful spending by Cabinet ministers and sack them." 
  6. ^ Lizel, Steenkamp (2011-04-14). "Minister's ethics probe - first since '94" (in en-za). Beeld. Media24. http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Ministers-ethics-probe-first-since-94-20110414. Retrieved 17 April 2011. "In a first since the ANC came to power in 1994, the public protector has been asked by the party’s MPs to investigate a Cabinet minister over alleged abuse of funds." 
  7. ^ http://www.pprotect.org/library/investigation_report/investigation_report.asp
  8. ^ Piet, Rampedi; Jacques Pauw (2011-04-17). "Minister in sex and lies scandal" (in en-za). City Press. Media24. http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Minister-in-sex-and-lies-scandal-20110417. Retrieved 17 April 2011. "Top officials tell how Masithela threatened anybody in Madibeng – based in Brits and with a yearly budget of R1 billion – who dared to oppose her, saying that Shiceka was “protecting” her and she was untouchable because he had ­deployed her to the ­municipality." 
  9. ^ The Shiceka Syndrome and the Corrupting Power of the Status Trap by Saliem Fakir, South African Civil Society Information Service, 18 April 2011
Ministers of Jacob Zuma's first government (2009)
Deputy President
Ministers
Tina Joemat-Peterson (Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries) • Lulu Xingwana (Arts and Culture) • Angie Motshekga (Basic Education) • Siphiwe Nyanda (Communications) • Sicelo Shiceka (Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs) • Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula (Correctional Services) • Lindiwe Sisulu (Defence and Military Veterans) • Ebrahim Patel (Economic Development) • Dipuo Peters (Energy) • Pravin Gordhan (Finance) • Aaron Motsoaledi (Health) • Blade Nzimande (Higher Education and Training) • Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (Home Affairs) • Tokyo Sexwale (Human Settlements) • Maite Nkoana-Mashabane (International Relations and Cooperation) • Jeff Radebe (Justice and Constitutional Development) • Membathisi Mdladlana (Labour) • Susan Shabangu (Mining) • Nathi Mthethwa (Police) • Barbara Hogan (Public Enterprises) • Richard Baloyi (Public service and Administration) • Geoff Doidge (Public Works) • Gugile Nkwinti (Rural Development and Land Reform) • Naledi Pandor (Science and Technology) • Edna Molewa (Social Development) • Makhenkesi Stofile (Sport and Recreation) • Siyabonga Cwele (State Security) • Trevor Manuel (The Presidency, for the National Planning Commission) • Collins Chabane (The Presidency) • Marthinus van Schalkwyk (Tourism) • Rob Davies (Trade and Industry) • S'bu Ndebele (Transport) • Buyelwa Sonjica (Water and Environmental Affairs) • Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya (Women, Youth, Children, and People with Disabilities)
Ministers of Jacob Zuma's second government (2010)
Deputy President
Ministers
Tina Joemat-Peterson (Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries) • Paul Mashatile (Arts and Culture) • Angie Motshekga (Basic Education) • Radhakrishna Padayachie (Communications) • Sicelo Shiceka (Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs) • Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula (Correctional Services) • Lindiwe Sisulu (Defence and Military Veterans) • Ebrahim Patel (Economic Development) • Dipuo Peters (Energy) • Pravin Gordhan (Finance) • Aaron Motsoaledi (Health) • Blade Nzimande (Higher Education and Training) • Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (Home Affairs) • Tokyo Sexwale (Human Settlements) • Maite Nkoana-Mashabane (International Relations and Cooperation) • Jeff Radebe (Justice and Constitutional Development) • Mildred Oliphant (Labour) • Susan Shabangu (Mining) • Nathi Mthethwa (Police) • Malusi Gigaba (Public Enterprises) • Richard Baloyi (Public service and Administration) • Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde (Public Works) • Gugile Nkwinti (Rural Development and Land Reform) • Naledi Pandor (Science and Technology) • Bathabile Dlamini (Social Development) • Fikile Mbalula (Sport and Recreation) • Siyabonga Cwele (State Security) • Trevor Manuel (The Presidency, for the National Planning Commission) • Collins Chabane (The Presidency) • Marthinus van Schalkwyk (Tourism) • Rob Davies (Trade and Industry) • S'bu Ndebele (Transport) • Edna Molewa (Water and Environmental Affairs) • Lulu Xingwana (Women, Youth, Children, and People with Disabilities)