Tina Joemat-Pettersson: a lesson for all politicians in waiting

Tina Joemat-Pettersson will be remembered by those who knew her best as a “radical” who had a “great sense of impatience” about transformation when she was young.

That is how the ANC in the Northern Cape, the late ANC MPs home province, described this schoolteacher turned activist who later rose to national prominence as a minister in the national executive.

Former president Jacob Zuma appointed her to the cabinet in 2009. Throughout her term as minister, which ended in 2017, she was accused of advancing state capture. 

“She had an extremely radical outlook — radical and very impatient. She did very well as MEC of education. Tina had a gracious exit from the province,” said Northern Cape premier Zamani Saul. 

Saul has known Joemat-Pettersson since they were in high school. When asked what he made of allegations of corruption and state capture against her, he said more thought needed to be given to what happens to provincial leaders when they are promoted to being ministers in the national executive. 

“People don’t understand how powerful business is, especially the mining and energy complex. Tina struggled with that realisation, but the Tina we know, we cannot believe what has been said about her,” said Saul.

During her time as energy minister, Joemat-Pettersson was implicated in two major scandals: the sale of SA’s reserve oil stocks, a decision later reversed by the Western Cape High Court, and a controversial attempt to acquire nuclear power for SA. 

Other than serving as an ANC MP since 2017, Joemat-Pettersson almost made a dramatic comeback to the ANC’s national leadership when President Cyril Ramaphosa’s allies in 2022 nominated her unsuccessfully to stand for the position of ANC deputy secretary-general at the party’s national conference in December.

This left many in the ANC in shock and disbelief. Ramaphosa, through his CR2022 campaign, had now backtracked from his reform agenda and lacked the appetite to confront corruption and maladministration in his second term as head of state. 

Also, IOL reported last week that suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s husband had laid a complaint with the police, accusing Joemat-Pettersson of trying to extort money from him to make the section 194 committee inquiry into Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office “go away”.

It was ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina who confirmed on Monday that Joemat-Pettersson, chair of parliament’s portfolio committee on the police, had died at her home. 

“She is no more, her family has confirmed she has passed away. I spoke to her sons as they are the ones who informed me about her passing,” she said.

In the mid 1980s, Joemat-Pettersson was an active member of the Azanian Students Organisation, and later taught at high schools in the Northern Cape. 

After the 1994 election, Joemat-Pettersson served as a member of the Northern Cape provincial legislature, MEC for education, arts and culture and later as agriculture MEC. 

At a national level, she served as minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries from 2009 to 2014. Zuma later appointed her to the energy portfolio. 

Ramaphosa said in a statement that SA has lost a remarkable leader who dedicated herself to improving the quality of life in her home province of the Northern Cape and the entire nation. 

“We will miss the passion and vigour,” said Ramaphosa.

“Death has robbed our movement and the people of SA of a humble, dependable and dedicated servant,” the ANC said in a statement.

“The ANC pays tribute to this extraordinary freedom fighter whose sacrifices and commitment to the liberation of her people remain a source of inspiration to many young cadres of our movement.” 

With TimesLIVE

OmarjeeH@businesslive.co.za