Barbara Thomson
{{Short description|South African politician (born 1954)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Barbara Thomson
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| order = Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs
| office =
| term_start = 26 May 2014
| term_end = 25 May 2019
| alongside =
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| deputy =
| president = Jacob Zuma
Cyril Ramaphosa
| succeeding =
| predecessor = Rejoice Mabudafhasi (for Water and Environmental Affairs)
| successor = Maggie Sotyu (for Environment, Forestry and Fisheries)
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1954|02|03}}
| birth_place = Natal, South Africa
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| party = African National Congress
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| termstart1 = 1 November 2010
| office1 = Deputy Minister of Energy
| president1 = Jacob Zuma
| predecessor1 = Position established
| termend1 = 25 May 2014
| successor1 = Thembi Majola
| minister1 = Dipuo Peters
Ben Martins
| minister = Edna Molewa
Nomvula Mokonyane
}}
Barbara Thomson (born 3 February 1954), also spelled Barbara Thompson, is a South African politician. She represented the African National Congress in the South African Parliament between 1995 and 2019. During that time, she served as Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs from 2014 to 2019 and as Deputy Minister of Energy from 2010 to 2014. In 2006, she was convicted of fraud in the Travelgate scandal.
Early life and career
Thomson was born on 3 February 1954 in the former Natal Province (now KwaZulu-Natal).{{Cite web |date= |title=Ms B. Thompson: Deputy Minister |url=http://www.energy.gov.za/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309033923/http://www.energy.gov.za/ |archive-date=2014-03-09 |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=Department of Energy}} She trained as a development worker and became involved in politics and community activism in the Natal Midlands, where she later served as secretary of a regional branch of the African National Congress (ANC) Women's League.
Parliament: 1995–2019
Thomson joined the first democratic Parliament in 1995, filling a casual vacancy.{{Cite web |title=Barbara Thomson, Ms |url=https://www.gov.za/about-government/contact-directory/barbara-thomson-ms |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=South African Government}} She represented the ANC in Parliament for the next 14 years, serving a stint in the National Council of Provinces as well as longer stints in the National Assembly. In 2004, she was one of several representatives implicated by the Scorpions in the Travelgate scandal,{{Cite web |date=2004-08-20 |title=Have vouchers, will travel |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2004-08-20-have-vouchers-will-travel/ |access-date=2023-08-07 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} and in October 2006 she pled guilty to having defrauded Parliament in that connection.{{Cite web |date=2006-10-16 |title=Travelgate: 14 plead guilty |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2006-10-16-travelgate-14-plead-guilty/ |access-date=2023-08-07 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} The fraud reportedly pertained to an amount of R74,000.{{Cite web |date=2006-10-06 |title=Travelgate: MPs to out ANC big fish |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2006-10-06-travelgate-mps-to-out-anc-big-fish/ |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}
On 31 October 2010, President Jacob Zuma announced a major cabinet reshuffle, in which he appointed Thomson as Deputy Minister of Energy; until then, the Minister of Energy, Dipuo Peters, had served without a deputy.{{Cite news |date=1 November 2010 |title=Cabinet reshuffled, 7 ministers axed |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2010-10-31-cabinet-reshuffled-7-ministers-axed/ |access-date=3 July 2024 |work=Sunday Times}} Thomson remained in that office until the May 2014 general election, after which Zuma appointed her as Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs.{{cite web |date=25 May 2014 |title=Full List of Jacob Zuma’s 2014 cabinet – all the Ministers and Deputies |url=https://www.biznews.com/undictated/2014/05/25/jacob-zuma-appoints-new-cabinet-sa-gets-new-finance-minister/ |website=BizNews |publisher=}} She left Parliament and the executive at the May 2019 general election.{{Cite web |title=Barbara Thomson |url=http://www.pa.org.za/person/barbara-thomson/ |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=People's Assembly |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{People's Assembly (South Africa)|barbara-thomson}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomson, Barbara}}
Category:20th-century South African women politicians
Category:21st-century South African women politicians
Category:Members of the National Council of Provinces
Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2004–2009
Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2009–2014
Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2014–2019
Category:Politicians from KwaZulu-Natal
Category:South African politicians convicted of fraud
Category:Women members of the National Assembly of South Africa
Category:Women members of the National Council of Provinces
Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 1994–1999