Enoch Godongwana

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Enoch Godongwana
Minister of Finance
Assumed office
5 August 2021
PresidentCyril Ramaphosa
DeputyDavid Masondo
Preceded byTito Mboweni
Personal details
Born (1957-06-09) 9 June 1957 (age 64)
CitizenshipSouth African
NationalitySouth African
Political partyAfrican National Congress
Alma materUniversity of London
OccupationCabinet minister
ProfessionPolitician

Enoch Godongwana (born 9 June 1957)[1] is a South African politician who has been serving as the Minister of Finance of South Africa in the government of President Cyril Ramaphosa since August 2021.[2][3] He is also the current head of the African National Congress's economic transformation subcommittee in the national executive committee (NEC).

Early life and education[]

Godongwana was born in Cala, Eastern Cape and matriculated from St John’s College in Mthatha. He obtained an MSc degree in financial economics from the University of London in 1998.[4]

Career in the private sector[]

Godongwana is a director of Mondi, a paper and packing company, as well as platinum miner .[3]

Canyon Springs Investments 12[]

Godongwana chaired Canyon Springs Investments 12, a shell company which he jointly owned 50% of with his wife.[5][6] Canyon Springs was found to be involved in allegedly defrauding clothing factory workers of R100-million of their pension fund money from 2007 until 2011.[7] His R1.5 million salary was found to be drawn from money loaned by the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) to the company, which loaned money was never returned to the union.[5][8] He claimed to be unaware of the company's money sources.[5]

Richard Kawie and Sam Buthelezi, other co-owners of Canyons Springs Investment 12, had fraud cases opened against them for not repaying the union's loan.[9]

Political career[]

Godongwana was a shop steward for the Metal and Allied Workers Union MAWU from 1979.[1] He became general secretary of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) from 1993 to 1996,[10] and served on COSATU's Executive and Central Committees from 1992 to 1997.[1]

He served as deputy minister of public enterprises and deputy minister of economic development in the government of President Jacob Zuma from 2009 until 2012.[3] He resigned after the Canyon Springs Investments matter was revealed by news organisations.[7]

In November 2020, the United Democratic Movement accused Godongwana of using his position in the DBSA to engage in corruption through companies that Godongwana had a stake in.[11]

Other activities[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Enoch Godongwana, Mr | South African Government". www.gov.za. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  2. ^ "S.Africa's Ramaphosa appoints Godongwana as finance minister as Mboweni resigns". Reuters. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Enoch Godongwana is SA's new minister of finance as Mboweni resigns". News24. 5 August 2021.
  4. ^ Wasserman, Helena (6 August 2021). "What you need to know about SA's new minister of finance, Enoch Godongwana". News24.com. News24. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "Godongwana pension scam - more dirt". The Mail & Guardian. 14 October 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Godongwana and the missing union millions". The Mail & Guardian. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Godongwana resigns amid outrage". The Mail & Guardian. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Kawie faces arrest in missing pension money case". The Mail & Guardian. 26 November 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Court declares Sam Buthelezi insolvent". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Happy 25th birthday!". National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  11. ^ "DBSA maladministration & corruption allegations | PMG". pmg.org.za. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  12. ^ Board of Governors World Bank.
  13. ^ Board of Governors Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), World Bank Group.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Finance
2021– 		Incumbent
Preceded by General Secretary of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa
1993–1996 		Succeeded by
Mbuyiselo Ngwenda
Retrieved from ""