Pravin Gordhan

Pravin Gordhan Jamnadas ( born April 12, 1949 in Durban ) is a South African politician and since May 2009, finance minister.

Life

After schooling Gordhan studied pharmacy at the University of Durban - Westville and graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy from. Subsequently, he worked 1974-1981 as a pharmacist at King Edward V Hospital in Durban.

During this time he began his political involvement and was 1974-1990 Executive member of the Natal Indian Congress and 1977-1990 member of the African National Congress ( ANC). In 1980, he became chairman and secretary of Housing Action Committee of Durban and practiced these duties until 1984.

During the time of change and the negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa, Gordhan involved in numerous organizations and institutions and was between, among others, in 1991 and 1994, Chairman of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa ( CODESA ) and 1993 co-chair of the multi-party conference in Johannesburg to end of apartheid and after 1993-1994 Co - Chairman of the transitional Executive Council on the monitoring and organization of the transfer of power.

In the first free elections in 1994, he was elected as a candidate of the ANC as a member of the National Assembly and was part of this until 1998. During this time he was also a member of the University Council of the University of Durban - Westville between 1995 and 1997. He was also from 1996 to 1998 Chairman of the Constitutional Committee of the National Assembly.

After retiring from Parliament dm 1998 when he was first deputy head ( Deputy Commissioner ) and 1999 Head ( Commissioner) of the South African financial authority South African Revenue Services (SARS). He continued in this position for ten years until 2009 and during this time was between 2000 and 2006 and Chairman of the World Customs Organization ( WCO).

For his services he was awarded in 2007 the University of South Africa an honorary doctorate in stores Business Administration and the University of Cape Town, another honorary doctoral degree in the field of legal science.

After the election of Jacob Zuma as the new president of South Africa, Gordhan was appointed Minister of Finance in the cabinet of this Zuma on 10 May 2009. In this role he followed Trevor Manuel, who in turn became Minister to the President for the National Planning Commission.

In the household contribution, he was the chairman of the ANC Youth League, Julius Malema, attacked. This accused him of violating in the budget plans against the party policy and not to consider the needs of children and young enough. However, the budget and the union plans Gordhans received the support and backing of the National Executive Council of the ANC and the Congress of South African Trade Unions ( COSATU ), the largest trade union federation in South Africa.