Angie Motshekga

Matsie Angelina "Angie" Motshekga (born 19 June 1955) is a South African politician and educator who is currently serving as the Minister of Defense and Military Veterans since 3 July 2024. Motshekga also served as the Minister of Basic Education from May 2009 to 2024. She was previously a Member of the Executive Council in the Gauteng provincial government. Motshekga is a member of the African National Congress. She is a former president of the party's women's league.

Early life and teaching career

Motshekga was born on 19 June 1955 in Soweto, Transvaal Province. She received her primary school education from different schools in Soweto. She matriculated from a boarding school in Matatiele.

In 1981, Motshekga was employed as a teacher at Orlando High School. She worked at the school until 1983, when she resigned following her appointment as a lecturer at the Soweto College of Education. Motshekga became a lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1985. She lectured at the university until 1994.

National government Motshekga was elected to the National Assembly in April 2009. Newly elected president Jacob Zuma unbundled the Education portfolio into two new, separate ministries. Motshekga was appointed Minister of Basic Education. She took office on 11 May 2009. During her first term, textbooks were not delivered to impoverished Limpopo schools between December 2011 and June 2012. She faced calls to resign or be removed, but she remained in the position.

Following the 2014 general election, Zuma retained Motshekga in her position. Bathabile Dlamini unseated her as women's league president in August 2015. In 2017, she ran for ANC national president under the women's league banner without asking for permission. The league criticised Motshekga and later endorsed Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for the ANC presidency.

Zuma resigned as South African president in February 2018 and deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa was designated as his successor. Ramaphosa kept Motshekga in her position. In 2019, she became the longest-serving education minister in South African history. She was re-elected as an MP in that year's general election. She remained as minister of basic education.

On 15 February 2021, Motshekga said to pupils at Prospectus High School in Pretoria that an "educated man won't rape". Her comment caused outrage. She responded by saying that her comment was taken out of context.

In 2014, Motshekga claimed that the standard of question papers had increased after an English exam paper riddled with basic spelling and grammar errors was given to learners. In 2022 a mathematics examination paper included a problem that was unsolvable due to a typing error. The error was not picked up before the paper was given and Motshekga's department will decide whether an upward mark adjustment of 1% or 2% is necessary.

She was appointed acting president of the Republic of South Africa on 2 July 2021, as President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the state funeral of Kenneth Kaunda in Zambia.

Following the 2024 South African general election she became the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.

International positions Since 2023, Motshekga has been a member of the United Nations High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession, co-chaired by Kersti Kaljulaid and Paula-Mae Weekes.

Personal life Motshekga is married to former Premier of Gauteng and former ANC chief whip, Mathole Motshekga. They have children and grandchildren.