Maropene Ramokgopa (born 31 December 1979) is a South African politician who has been the Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation since March 2023. She has been a Member of the National Assembly since February 2023 and the Second Deputy Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC) since December 2022. She is also the coordinator of the interim task team that was appointed in June 2022 to lead the ANC Women's League.

Before joining the government in 2023, Ramokgopa held several positions in the diplomatic and civil service, including as Consul-General to Mumbai, India and, most proximately, as a special advisor to President Cyril Ramaphosa. She was the Mayor of the Northern Cape's Siyanda District Municipality from 2006 to 2009.

Early life

Born on 31 December 1979 in Polokwane in the former Transvaal, Ramokgopa grew up in Lebowakgomo, a township outside Polokwane.{{Cite web |title= Maropene Ramokgopa, Ms |url= https://www.gov.za/about-government/contact-directory/planning-monitoring-and-evaluation-department/maropene-ramokgopa|access-date=2023-04-26|website= South African Government}} She is a former student activist.{{Cite web |last=Hunter |first=Qaanitah |date=21 June 2022 |title=Ramaphosa advisor touted to lead tentative ANC Women's League structure alongside Baleka Mbete |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/politics/ramaphosa-advisor-touted-to-lead-tentative-anc-womens-league-structure-alongside-baleka-mbete-20220621 |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}

Early career

Ramokgopa became a ward councillor for the African National Congress (ANC) in 2005, serving in the Kgatelopele Local Municipality in the Northern Cape. From 2006 to 2009, she served as executive mayor of the Northern Cape's Siyanda District Municipality; she was only 26 at the time of her election.{{Cite web |date=13 July 2022 |title=ANC Women’s League co-ordinator slams critics |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/politics/2022-07-13-anc-womens-league-co-ordinator-slams-critics/ |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=Business Day |language=en-ZA}} Then, from 2009 to 2013, she entered the civil service as manager of the Northern Cape Premier's Office on the Status of Women.

She was elected to the National Executive Committee of the ANC Women's League (ANCWL) in 2008 and, under ANCWL President Angie Motshekga, she later held a managerial position in the league and convened its Young Women's Desk.{{Cite web |last=Khumalo |first=Juniour |date=13 July 2022 |title=ANCWL coordinator Maropene Ramokgopa denies close proximity to Ramaphosa led to her appointment |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/politics/ancwl-coordinator-maropene-ramokgopa-denies-close-proximity-to-ramaphosa-led-to-her-appointment-20220713 |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} She was also on the National Executive Committee of the ANC Youth League and was appointed to an interim task team which led the Youth League after its leadership corps was disbanded by the mainstream ANC in 2013.{{Cite web |date=10 July 2022 |title=New ANC Women’s League task team head says she won’t do Ramaphosa’s bidding |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/politics/2022-07-10-new-anc-womens-league-task-team-head-says-she-wont-do-ramaphosas-bidding/ |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=Business Day |language=en-ZA}} She has also served on the board of the National Youth Development Agency.

In 2014, Ramokgopa began work as a manager in the office of the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, a position then filled by Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. She left the ministry in 2016, when President Jacob Zuma appointed her as South African Consul-General to Mumbai, India.{{Cite web |date=19 July 2019 |title=SA should take a leaf out of India's SMMEs - SA Consul-General in Mumbai |url=https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/sa-should-take-a-leaf-out-of-indias-smmes-sa-consul-general-in-mumbai-29509862 |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=IOL |language=en}} Upon her return to South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed her his special advisor on international relations in the Presidency,{{Cite web |date=2022-10-17 |title=Ramaphosa's international relations expert, Ramokgopa, sees her star continue to rise |url=https://www.africaintelligence.com/southern-africa-and-islands/2022/10/17/ramaphosa-s-international-relations-expert-ramokgopa-sees-her-star-continue-to-rise,109835458-art |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=Africa Intelligence |language=en}} initially as his chief advisor at the African Union.{{Cite web |date=14 August 2020 |title='I was not given this position, I fought for it,' says AU chief advisor |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-08-14-i-was-not-given-this-position-i-fought-for-it-says-au-chief-advisor/ |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=Sowetan |language=en-ZA}} In October 2021, she was one of five special envoys appointed by Ramaphosa to engage with King Mswati during pro-democracy protests in neighbouring Eswatini.

She was elected to the Provincial Executive Committee of the Limpopo branch of the ANC in 2022. In late June 2022, the ANC National Executive Committee appointed her coordinator of the interim task team of the ANCWL; in this capacity she, alongside task team convenor Baleka Mbete, will lead the league until it elects a new leadership corps.{{Cite web |date=30 June 2022 |title=ANC appoints Baleka Mbete to lead women’s league task team |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2022-06-30-anc-appoints-baleka-mbete-to-lead-womens-league-task-team/ |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=Business Day |language=en-ZA}}

Election as Deputy Secretary-General

Ahead of the ANC's 55th National Conference, Ramokgopa was viewed as a supporter of Ramaphosa's campaign for re-election as ANC President and as a key member of the so-called "women's caucus" within the pro-Ramaphosa camp.{{Cite web |last=Matlala |first=George |date=2022-10-31 |title=CR22 campaign chaos as mistrust intensifies |url=https://sundayworld.co.za/55th-anc-national-conference/cr22-campaign-chaos-as-mistrust-intensifies/ |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=Sunday World |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |date=1 December 2022 |title=Move to push Senzo Mchunu for ANC deputy president foiled at ‘CR caucus’ meeting |url=https://www.heraldlive.co.za/news/2022-12-01-move-to-push-senzo-mchunu-for-anc-deputy-president-foiled-at-cr-caucus-meeting/ |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=Herald |language=en-ZA}} In September 2022, the pro-Ramaphosa Provincial Executive Committee of the Northern Cape ANC endorsed Ramokgopa as a candidate for Deputy Secretary-General of the party.{{Cite web |last=Ndaba |first=Baldwin |date=2022-09-20 |title=Northern Cape ANC endorses Cyril Ramaphosa, Gwede Mantashe for top six |url=https://www.africannewsagency.com/news/northern-cape-anc-endorses-cyril-ramaphosa-gwede-mantashe-for-top-six-7037cadf-b3cf-46a7-82c0-deac480a6599/ |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=African News Agency |language=en-ZA}} She was not initially included on the list of candidates but once the conference began in December 2022, the party resolved to create a new Second Deputy Secretary-General position; Ramokgopa was nominated from the floor of the conference to fill the post.{{Cite web |last=Merten |first=Marianne |date=2022-12-18 |title=Leadership nominations finalised after delays and horse-trading amid plentiful slate permutations |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-12-18-leadership-nominations-finalised-after-delays-and-horse-trading-amid-plentiful-slate-permutations/ |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}

On 19 December, she won the election for Second Deputy Secretary-General, earning 2,373 votes against the 1,948 received by Ronalda Nalumango.{{Cite web |date=19 December 2022 |title=Ramaphosa wins big with four allies in top seven |url=https://www.news24.com/citypress/politics/ramaphosa-wins-big-with-four-allies-in-top-seven-20221219 |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=City Press |language=en-US}} She serves alongside First Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane and under Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula.

National government

On 5 February 2023, it was reported that Ramokgopa was one of four senior ANC members who would be sworn in as a member of the National Assembly the following day.{{Cite web |last=Motsoere |first=Gloria |title=ANC to swear in new MPs after wave of recent resignations |url=https://ewn.co.za/2023/02/05/anc-to-swear-in-new-mps-after-wave-of-recent-resignations |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=ewn.co.za |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Mkhwanazi |first=Siyabonga |title=ANC 2nd deputy secretary-general Maropene Ramokgopa headed for Parliament |language=en |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/anc-2nd-deputy-secretary-general-maropene-ramokgopa-headed-for-parliament-1e7e844d-9d97-4556-bdd1-5c11ae36f9bf |access-date=2023-02-05}} Ramokgopa was sworn in as a Member of Parliament on 6 February, alongside Paul Mashatile, Sihle Zikalala, and Parks Tau.{{Cite web |last=Ludidi |first=Velani |date=2023-02-06 |title=THE SHUFFLE: Edging closer to Cabinet, Paul Mashatile and three other ANC members sworn in as MPs |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-02-06-edging-closer-to-cabinet-paul-mashatile-and-three-other-anc-members-sworn-in-as-mps/ |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}

In a cabinet reshuffle on 6 March 2023, President Ramaphosa appointed Ramokgopa as Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.{{Cite web |title=President Cyril Ramaphosa: New members of National Executive {{!}} South African Government |url=https://www.gov.za/speeches/president-cyril-ramaphosa-cabinet-reshuffle-6-mar-2023-0000 |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=www.gov.za}} She was sworn into office the following day.{{Cite web |title=LIVESTREAM {{!}} New Ministers, deputies sworn in {{!}} eNCA |url=https://www.enca.com/news/livestream-new-ministers-deputies-sworn |access-date=2023-03-07 |website=www.enca.com |language=en}}

When Zizi Kodwa had to step aside as Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture in terms of ANC internal policy (due to corruption charges being brought against him) she was appointed Acting minister for a short period in mid-2024, being succeeded on 3 July 2024 by Gayton McKenzie.

Ramokgopa was reappointed as Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation after the 2024 general election, and was sworn in again on 3 July 2024.{{cite news |title=Historic day for SA as government of national unity ministers take oath of office |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-07-03-historic-day-for-sa-as-government-of-national-unity-ministers-take-oath-of-office |publisher=Daily Maverick |date=3 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703142348/https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-07-03-historic-day-for-sa-as-government-of-national-unity-ministers-take-oath-of-office/ |archive-date=2024-07-03 |url-status=live |access-date=7 July 2024}}

References

Category:Living people

Category:1979 births

Category:People from Polokwane

Category:African National Congress politicians

Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2019–2024

Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2024–2029

Category:Women members of the National Assembly of South Africa

Category:Government ministers of South Africa

Category:Women government ministers of South Africa

Category:21st-century South African women politicians

Category:Diplomats for South Africa

Category:Women diplomats for South Africa