Roger Jardine

Roger Jardine was born in Riverlea, Johannesburg, to Bill Jardine and Anne Jardine. He has three brothers{{Cite news |last=Beckett |first=Janice |date=2 August 2018 |title=Honouring the legacy of Bill Jardine |work=Soweto Urban |url=https://sowetourban.co.za/71936/honouring-legacy-bill-jardine/}} His father, Bill Jardine, was involved in anti-apartheid activism and contributed to sports unification in South Africa.{{Cite news |title=Honouring the legacy of Bill Jardine |url=https://sowetourban.co.za/71936/honouring-legacy-bill-jardine/ |website=Soweto Urban|date=2 August 2018 }} During his high school years, Jardine was involved in anti-apartheid activities, including boycotts and protests against the tricameral parliament, and was an activist in the United Democratic Front (UDF). He earned his BSc in Physics from Haverford College in 1989 and his MSc in Radiological Physics from Wayne State University in 1991.{{Cite web |title=William Jardine Net Worth (2023) – wallmine.com |url=https://wallmine.com/otc/fandy/officer/2069416/william-jardine |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=wallmine.com |language=en}}

After returning to South Africa in 1992, Jardine worked as the National Coordinator of Science and Technology Policy for the African National Congress (ANC). In 1995, despite having no direct experience, the ANC appointed him director-general of South Africa's Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology at the age of 29.{{Cite journal |title=ANC adviser takes over at science ministry |journal=Nature |date=February 1995 |volume=373 |issue=6516 |pages=651 |doi=10.1038/373651b0 |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/373651b0.pdf |last1=Lawson |first1=Mark |pmid=7854432 |s2cid=1699001 }} His responsibilities included reviewing science councils and addressing funding issues. Jardine has been vocal against corruption and leadership issues in South African politics{{Cite web |title=South Africa: Political rows cause Jardine to resign |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/199811200119.html |website=All Africa}}{{Cite web |author=Staff Reporter |date=2013-10-11 |title=Skills crisis curbed Aveng's reprisal |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2013-10-11-00-skills-crisis-curbed-avengs-reprisal/ |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |last=Moneyweb |date=2022-10-13 |title=FirstRand chair slams 'glacial' pace of Ramaphosa's infrastructure programme |url=https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/industry/firstrand-chair-slams-glacial-pace-of-ramaphosas-infrastructure-programme/ |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=Moneyweb |language=en}} and has spoken at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) Business School.{{Cite web |title='The biggest scandal in post-apartheid SA' |url=https://www.onlinetenders.co.za/news/the-biggest-scandal-in-post-apartheid-sa |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=www.onlinetenders.co.za}}{{Cite web |last=Lowman |first=Stuart |date=2018-10-04 |title=FirstRand chairman Roger Jardine urges ANC to shun populism |url=https://www.biznews.com/sa-investing/2018/10/04/firstrand-roger-jardine-anc-ramaphosa-shun-populism |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=BizNews.com |language=en-GB}}

Jardine transitioned into the private sector, serving as CEO of Kagiso Media, Aveng Group, and Primedia.{{Cite web |title=Roger Jardine - Director of Fisker Inc {{!}} FSR |url=https://www.macroaxis.com/ |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=Macroaxis |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Mochiko |first=Thabiso |date=21 January 2014 |title=Roger Jardine appointed group CEO at Primedia |work=Bizcommunity |url=https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/12/107621.html}}{{Cite web |title=Business Leaders |url=https://www.marketscreener.com/business-leaders/William-Rodger-Jardine-5981/biography/ |website=Market Screener}} He was the chairperson of FirstRand, a financial institution that offers a range of financial services in South Africa and other African countries, between April 2018 and November 2023.{{Cite web |title=Roger Jardine chosen to take the helm at FirstRand |url=https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-star-south-africa-late-edition/20171201/281865823794880 |access-date=2023-10-27 |via=PressReader}}{{Cite web |title=Management and Board |url=https://www.firstrand.co.za/the-group/management-and-board/ |website=FirstRand}}{{Cite news |date=27 October 2023 |title=FirstRand to disclose fossil fuel assets |work=Legalbrief}}{{Cite web |date=2010-12-02 |title={{!}} South Africa's First National Bank (FNB) To Start Operations in Zambia … |url=http://zambianchronicle.com/?p=3285 |access-date=2022-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202012159/http://zambianchronicle.com/?p=3285 |archive-date=2 December 2010 }}{{Cite web |date=2011-06-29 |title=allAfrica.com: South Africa: RMB Rejig Will Give Investors a Choice |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201010270702.html |access-date=2022-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629171614/http://allafrica.com/stories/201010270702.html |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |date=2012-06-07 |title=FirstRand Ltd. |url=http://www.firstrand.co.za/10/history-of-the-group |access-date=2022-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607010657/http://www.firstrand.co.za/10/history-of-the-group |archive-date=7 June 2012 |url-status=dead}}

In December 2023, Jardine founded the political movement Change Starts Now, to contend in the 2024 national elections. Jardine launched the movement in Riverlea, in Johannesburg West.{{Cite web |last=Njilo |first=Nonkululeko |date=2023-12-11 |title=Change Starts Now aims to woo ANC stalwart Mavuso Msimang |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-12-11-presidential-hopeful-roger-jardine-gets-some-thumbs-up-but-also-scepticism-from-the-residents-of-riverlea/ |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}} He formed the movement alongside former UDF leader and speechwriter Murphy Morobe, editor and activist Mark Heywood, Nicole Fritz of the Helen Suzman Foundation, and anti-apartheid activist and Nelson Mandela's former doctor, Dr Aslam Dasoo.{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Rebecca |date=2023-12-10 |title='We have to fix the balance sheets of SA Inc,' says presidential hopeful Roger Jardine at launch of Change Starts Now |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-12-10-roger-jardine-we-have-to-fix-the-balance-sheets-of-sa-inc-says-change-starts-now-presidential-hopeful/ |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}

Willie Esterhuyse, who played an important role in the negotiations leading up to the transition to a democracy in South Africa,{{Cite web|date=|title='Willie Esterhuyse'|url=https://www.sahistory.org.za/people/willie-esterhuyse |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=SAHistory |language=en}} remarked in an interview published in Die Burger newspaper on 15 February 2024 that "From political history we learn that countries are saved by organized middle groups. But then you have to have the right leaders." and "maybe" 'Roger Jardine with his Change Starts Now party is the man who could lead such a "revolt" of the non-racial middle class. But Esterhuyse emphasizes that ideally three or four strong leaders should emerge. "They will have to convert the anger of the middle class into strong support at the ballot box. And then they will have to put practical plans into action."{{Cite web |last=Freoneman|first=Johannes|date=2023-02-15 |title='Ek het steeds hoop'|url=https://www.netwerk24.com/netwerk24/stemme/profiele/ek-het-steeds-hoop-20240214 |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=News24 |language=af}}

In response to the launch of the party's Change Charter election manifesto launched in Kliptown on 19 February 2024, the CEO of Sibanye-Stillwater, one of South Africa's top four private sector employers, Neal Froneman said “It is one of the most credible plans I have seen for realising South Africa’s potential… I for one would be prepared to pay taxes that are needed to support the reconstruction and growth fund with real confidence that the money would be used meaningfully to secure a prosperous future. Implementation of the CSN Charter would build a national unified identity that we can all identify with” {{Cite web |last=Marrian|first=Natasha|date=2024-02-22 |title='Natasha Marrian: Is Change Starts Now the new Purple Cow?'|url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/fm/opinion/state-of-play/2024-02-22-natasha-marrian-is-change-starts-now-the-new-purple-cow/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=Financial Mail |language=en}}

Some journalists speculated that private funders may have offered the members of the 'Moonshot Pact Coalition' one billion Rand to take Jardine as their presidential candidate.{{Cite news |last=Merten |first=Marianne |date=9 December 2023 |title=The billion rand question: can a president like Jardine be parachuted-in? |url=https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/daily-maverick/20231209/281629605048055 |work=Daily Maverick}} In response, one critic called it "a brazen attempt by a small group of very rich people to buy political influence".{{Cite news |last=Pithouse |first=Richard |date=17 December 2023 |title=Democracy sold down the river |url=https://mg.co.za/thought-leader/opinion/2023-12-17-democracy-sold-down-the-river/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223023312/https://mg.co.za/thought-leader/opinion/2023-12-17-democracy-sold-down-the-river/ |archive-date=23 December 2023}}

The party's funding declarations to the Electoral Commission of South Africa, in accordance with now defunct local party funding transparency laws, show donations totalling R35 820 000 (from three donors) to finance campaign operations for the period 2023/2024.{{cite web |last1=Mahlangu |first1=George |title=PUBLISHED DECLARATIONS REPORT 2023/2024 |url=https://results.elections.org.za/home/PartyFundingReports/6/4/6_4_Published_Declarations_Report.pdf |website=Electoral Commission of South Africa |access-date=22 July 2024}}

Jardine supports various charitable organizations and formerly served as the Chairman of the Centre for Development and Enterprise.{{Cite web |last=Import |first=Pongrass |date=2015-04-15 |title=CEO Sleep Out helps the homeless |url=https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/115729/ceo-sleep-out-helps-the-homeless/ |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=Sandton Chronicle |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=CDE Advisory Board |url=https://www.cde.org.za/about-us/governance/ |website=Centre for Development and Enterprise|date=22 November 2017 }} He has also been involved in initiatives aimed at combating racism and xenophobia in Gauteng province.{{Cite web |title=Social cohesion policy support (2019) {{!}} GCRO |url=https://www.gcro.ac.za/research/project/detail/social-cohesion-policy-support/ |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=www.gcro.ac.za}}

Roger Jardine was the CEO of Aveng Group between 2008 and 2013.{{Cite web |date=2013-09-17 |title=Roger Jardine, CEO, Aveng Group: Interview - South Africa 2013 - Oxford Business Group |url=https://oxfordbusinessgroup.com/articles-interviews/obg-talks-to-roger-jardine-ceo-aveng-group-interview |access-date=2023-10-27 |language=en-US}} During his tenure, the company faced allegations of collusion surrounding events that predated his appointment.{{Cite news |title=Tender transparency needed to avoid collusion |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2013-10-09-roger-jardine-tender-transparency-needed-to-avoid-collusion/|website=Mail & Guardian|date=9 September 2013 }}{{Cite news |title=On collusion in the construction industry |url=https://www.politicsweb.co.za/news-and-analysis/on-collusion-in-the-construction-industry--roger-j|website=Politicsweb}}{{Cite news |title=Collusion scandal was painful |url=https://ewn.co.za/2013/08/21/Jardine-Collusion-scandal-was-painful|website=EyeWitness News}}{{Cite news |title=Collusion is just a nice word for corruption|url=https://www.moneyweb.co.za/archive/collusion-is-just-a-nice-word-for-corruption-roge/|website=MoneyWeb}} Jardine stepped down after the completion of regulatory investigations.

The Jardine family has been involved in rugby. Roger Jardine served on the board of Sharks Rugby Union for over a decade.{{Cite web |last=thembavukeya |date=2018-08-02 |title=Honouring the legacy of Bill Jardine |url=https://westside-eldos.co.za/46338/honouring-legacy-bill-jardine/ |access-date=2023-10-27 |website=Soweto Urban |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |title=In the scrum with Jardine on his lekker addictions |work=Independent Online |url=https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/opinion/in-the-scrum-with-jardine-on-his-lekker-addictions-721356 |access-date=16 November 2007}}

Roger has been married to Christa Kuljian for 32 years (1991). In the 1980s Kuljian worked for Senator Edward Kennedy and in the early 1990s moved to South Africa to work for the [https://www.mott.org/ Mott Foundation].

Kuljian is also a writer and author of Sanctuary (Jacana, 2013) and Darwin’s Hunch(Jacana, 2016), which was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Alan Paton Award for Nonfiction in 2017.{{Cite web |title=About – Christa Kuljian |url=https://christakuljian.com/about/ |access-date=2023-12-22 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Christa Kuljian – Writer. Editor. Teacher. |url=http://christakuljian.com/ |access-date=2023-12-22 |language=en-US}} Christa is currently a Research Associate at the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WiSER).{{Cite web |title=Christa Kuljian {{!}} Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research |url=https://wiser.wits.ac.za/users/christa-kuljian |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=wiser.wits.ac.za |language=en}} Her writing has appeared in many publications including the Mail and Guardian{{Cite web |title=Christa Kuljian, Author at The Mail & Guardian |url=https://mg.co.za/author/christa-kuljian/ |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} and The Johannesburg Review of Books.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-08 |title=Remembering Myesha Jenkins, a revolutionary in politics, poetry and jazz, by Christa Kuljian and Makhosazana Xaba |url=https://johannesburgreviewofbooks.com/2020/10/08/remembering-myesha-jenkins-a-revolutionary-in-politics-poetry-and-jazz/ |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=The Johannesburg Review of Books |language=en-US}} Christa was a Ruth First Fellow in 2010https://wits.journalism.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CMC-Salon-article-Dec-2010.pdf and gave the Steve Biko Bioethics Lecture in 2023.{{Citation |title=Christa Kuljian Steve Biko Bioethics Lecture 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz-oEx0X6Ms |access-date=2023-12-22 |language=en}} They have two adult children.

• Nelson Mandela

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.cde.org.za/ Centre for Development and Enterprise]
• [https://times-e-editions.pressreader.com/article/282325389649403 Press Reader]
• [https://times-e-editions.pressreader.com/article/282325389649403 Press Reader]
• [https://times-e-editions.pressreader.com/article/281960317429243 Press Reader]
• [https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/CER-letter-to-FirstRand-Bank_Coal-IPPs-and-draft-IRP_12-September-2018.pdf Centre for Environmental Rights]
• [https://eprop.co.za/commercial-property-news/item/10043-the-science-of-getting-lucky Eprop]

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Category:Living people

Category:1965 births

Category:South African business executives

Category:Haverford College alumni

Category:Wayne State University alumni

Category:Businesspeople from Johannesburg