Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development
In office 29 April 2004 – 25 September 2008
President
Thabo Mbeki
Deputy
Johnny de Lange
Preceded by
Penuell Maduna
Succeeded by
Enver Surty
Minister of Housing
In office 26 February 2003 – 28 April 2004
President
Thabo Mbeki
Preceded by
Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele
Succeeded by
Lindiwe Sisulu
Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology
In office 18 April 1995 – 25 February 2003
President
Nelson Mandela Thabo Mbeki
Minister
Ben Ngubane Lionel Mtshali
Preceded by
Winnie Mandela
Member of the National Assembly
In office 9 May 1994 – 5 May 2009
Personal details
Born
(1948-11-23) 23 November 1948 (age 75) Durban, Natal Union of South Africa
Political party
African National Congress
Spouse
Lindilwe Mabandla
(m. 1972)
Alma mater
University of Zambia
Brigitte Sylvia Mabandla (born 23 November 1948) is a South African politician, lawyer and former anti-apartheid activist who served in the cabinet of South Africa from 2003 to 2009, including as the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development from 2004 to 2008. She became the South African Ambassador to Sweden in January 2020. A veteran of the African National Congress (ANC), she was an elected member of party's National Executive Committee between 1997 and 2012.
Born in Durban, Mabandla entered politics through the South African Students' Organisation at the University of the North before she went into exile with the ANC in 1975. After a decade studying and teaching law in Botswana and Zambia, she was a legal adviser to the ANC in Lusaka from 1986 to 1990. Thereafter she joined the party's delegation to the negotiations to end apartheid, where she took particular interest in the protection of women's and children's rights. She joined the National Assembly in the April 1994 general election and, after a brief period as a backbencher, she was appointed to the Government of National Unity by President Nelson Mandela, who named her as Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology in 1995.
After serving in the arts and culture portfolio from 1995 to 2003, Mabandla was appointed to the cabinet of President Thabo Mbeki as Minister of Housing from 2003 to 2004. After the April 2004 general election, Mbeki appointed her as South Africa's first woman Minister of Justice, in which capacity she had a difficult and controversial relationship with the National Prosecuting Authority and its head, Vusi Pikoli. She was justice minister until September 2008, when she became Minister of Public Enterprises in the cabinet of President Kgalema Motlanthe. She resigned from legislative politics after the April 2009 general election.
Brigitte Sylvia Mabandla (born 23 November 1948) is a South African politician, lawyer and former anti-apartheid activist who served in the cabinet of...
Jordan* Ronnie Kasrils Ahmed Kathrada Baleka Kgositsile Terror Lekota BrigitteMabandla (co-opted) Saki Macozoma* Penuell Maduna Mac Maharaj* Winnie Mandela...
breakdown" in the relationship between Pikoli and Justice Minister BrigitteMabandla. However, journalists at the Mail and Guardian claim to have solid...
Justice and Constitutional Development, in which capacity he deputised BrigitteMabandla. In 2008, while still in that office, he was appointed by Mbeki to...
because of a breakdown in Pikoli's relationship with Justice Minister BrigitteMabandla, but allegedly – according to Pikoli – for political reasons, in an...
office 10 May 2009 – 31 October 2010 President Jacob Zuma Preceded by BrigitteMabandla Succeeded by Malusi Gigaba 23rd Minister of Health In office 25 September...
the position directly before being elected prime minister. In 2004, BrigitteMabandla became the first woman to be appointed to the portfolio. The following...
Copenhagen, Denmark Edvin Skrt South Africa 16.01.2020 Stockholm, Sweden BrigitteMabandla South Korea 15.02.2018 Stockholm, Sweden Jeongkyu Lee South Sudan...
breakdown" in the relationship between Pikoli and Justice Minister BrigitteMabandla. However, on 27 September, the South African Broadcasting Corporation...
senior member chastised her for passing notes to fellow activist BrigitteMabandla. In 1989, Didiza moved to Vosloorus on the East Rand to work as the...
Intelligence Services Ronnie Kasrils Justice and Constitutional Development BrigitteMabandla Labour Membathisi Mdladlana Minerals and Energy Lindiwe Hendricks;...
Prime Minister of Uganda Nahas Angula, Namibian Minister of Defence BrigitteMabandla, former South African Minister of Public Enterprises Monica Nashandi...
2006 with a row over Kgomo's decision to advise Justice Minister BrigitteMabandla to appoint Judge Pule Tlaletsi as acting Judge President while Kgomo...
office September 2008 – 10 May 2009 President Jacob Zuma Preceded by BrigitteMabandla Succeeded by Jeff Radebe Deputy Minister of Education In office April...
September 2008 President Thabo Mbeki Preceded by Jeff Radebe Succeeded by BrigitteMabandla Minister of Trade and Industry In office 4 April 1996 – 28 April 2004...
given Oasis permission to sue him. In July 2006 Justice Minister BrigitteMabandla permitted Hlophe four months' leave of absence. In November 2007 Hlophe...
1999–2004 President Thabo Mbeki Preceded by Dullah Omar Succeeded by BrigitteMabandla Minister of Minerals and Energy In office 1996–1999 President Nelson...
in West Africa. Thabo Mbeki Kader Asmal Selwyn Gross Pallo Jordan BrigitteMabandla Lindiwe Mabuza Penuell Maduna Mac Maharaj Francis Melli Reggie Mbono...
Constitution Twelfth Amendment Bill Bill citation B33B—2005 Introduced by BrigitteMabandla, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Introduced 30...
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