Obed Bapela

**Kopeng Obed Bapela** (wey dem born 28 February 1958) be South African politician wey dey serve now as de Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises since 6 March 2023. Before dat, he be Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs from 2014 go 2023. He be member of de African National Congress (ANC), den he dey serve as Member of de National Assembly since 2002 plus as deputy minister since 2010.

Bapela rise come top through de anti-apartheid movement wey happun for Alexandra, den he serve inside de Gauteng Provincial Legislature from 1994 go 1999. After he join Parliament for 2002, he climb up to become Chairperson for de National Assembly before President Jacob Zuma appoint am as Deputy Minister of Communications from 2010 go 2011. After dat one, he serve as Deputy Minister insyd de Presidency from 2011 go 2014, den as Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs from 2014 reach 2023, wey President Cyril Ramaphosa take appoint am go ein current position.

As long-time member of de ANC, Bapela be former Provincial Secretary for de party ein Gauteng branch. He dey inside de ANC National Executive Committee since 2012 den he active well for foreign affairs, include de time wey he be de party ein head of international relations from 2013 go 2015.

## Early life den career
Dem born Bapela on 28 February 1958 insyd Alexandra, wey be township wey dey outside Johannesburg for de former Transvaal Province. He be de first born of seven pikin dem, wey include four brothers den two sisters. Dem live together plus demma mommie den step-poppie inside one-room house for Alexandra, except small time insyd late 1960s, wey Bapela go stay plus ein grandfather for Ga-Masemola insyd Northern Transvaal.

Bapela ein first proper involvement for political organising start during de 1976 Soweto uprising; as he still dey high school, he join de protests wey happun for Alexandra den he become student activist after everything. He plus other activists dem comot for demma school for 1978, but he later get some tertiary certificates den diploma inside journalism. He do ein cadet reporter training for de Weekly Mail, wey be de same group wey Ferial Haffajee too dey insyd.

At de same time, Bapela ein involvement inside anti-apartheid activism grow stronger insyd early 1980s. Insyd 1979, he join underground groups of de African National Congress (ANC), wey by dat time dem ban am for insyd South Africa; for ein ANC work, he dey work close plus Paul Mashatile den other activists for Alexandra. He too be member of de Congress of South African Students, den insyd 1983, he help start de Alexandra Youth Congress plus de United Democratic Front. Later, he be de deputy president of de Alexandra Youth Congress.

Insyd May 1986, dem elect am as de publicity secretary for de executive of de Alexandra Action Committee, wey Moses Mayekiso chair am; ein work for de committee make dem carry am go Rand Supreme Court plus treason charge, together plus Mayekiso, Richard Mdakane den two oda people, say dem try make Alexandra “ungovernable.”**** Insyd de 1980s, dem detain am plenti times, den he remain on trial from 1987 go reach 1990. Dem unban de ANC insyd 1990 during de apartheid negotiation time, den Bapela start work insyd de party ein new open structures, wey he serve as de regional secretary for dem PWV regional branch from 1991 to 1994.

## Post-apartheid political career
Insyd de first post-apartheid elections wey happen insyd April 1994, Bapela win position to represent de ANC inside de Gauteng Provincial Legislature. He serve only one term for dat seat, then he lef for 1999. During dat term, he be de chairperson of de legislature ein portfolio committee wey handle safety den security. For dat same period insyd, he serve as Deputy Provincial Secretary, den later as Provincial Secretary for de ANC ein Gauteng branch.

After dat, insyd 2000, dem assign Bapela go de ANC ein headquarters for Luthuli House, where he be de party ein coordinator for international relations. Insyd 2002, he enter de National Assembly by filling casual vacancy. From den, he dey serve continuously for insyd de National Assembly: insyd de 2004 general election, he win de seat full time, den later dem appoint am as chairperson for de assembly, wey Andries Nel be ein deputy. He still dey active for foreign policy matters; insyd 2005, de *Mail & Guardian* name am as one of de 100 people wey go “shape South Africa insyd de next ten years,” based on how he dey grow strong insyd foreign affairs.

### Deputy Minister of Communications: 2010–2011
Insyd 31 October 2010, President Jacob Zuma announce say Bapela go be Deputy Minister of Communications under de new minister wey be Roy Padayachie. De opposition party, Congress of de People, welcome ein appointment, dem talk say Bapela "focus well-well on how to modernise Parliament" when he hold ein former positions.

### Deputy Minister insyd de Presidency: 2011–2014
Then insyd 24 October 2011, President Zuma do big cabinet reshuffle, wey inside dat one, he appoint Bapela make he take over from Dina Pule as Deputy Minister inside de Presidency for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation. He work under Minister Collins Chabane for dat position.

During dis period, for de ANC ein 53rd National Conference insyd December 2012, Bapela get ein first five-year term as member of de ANC ein National Executive Committee (NEC). *Mail & Guardian* report say he be “one of de key lobbyists” for Zuma ein successful campaign to get re-elected as ANC president for dat conference. Dem appoint Bapela make he lead de NEC ein subcommittee on international relations, but he no hold dat position reach three years before Edna Molewa replace am insyd September 2015. Dem replace am after some reports come out say under ein leadership, de subcommittee talk things wey no dey match de government ein stance on some sensitive matters – like South Africa ein membership for de International Criminal Court – wey cause diplomatic wahala.

### Deputy Minister of COGTA: 2014–2023
Afta de 2014 general election, dem appoint Bapela as Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs inside President Zuma ein second-term cabinet. Insyd dis portfolio, he be one of two deputy ministers — Bapela dey handle traditional affairs side, while Andries Nel take charge of provincial plus local government. He hold dis office for almost nine years, as dem re-appoint am to de same position inside both de first den second cabinets of President Cyril Ramaphosa, wey be Zuma ein successor.

During dis period, Bapela still remain for insyd de ANC ein National Executive Committee (NEC): dem re-elect am during de party ein 54th National Conference insyd December 2017 (dat time he be de tenth-most popular candidate), den again for de 55th National Conference for December 2022 (dis time as de 37th-most popular candidate). Afta de 55th National Conference, for early 2023, dem appoint am go back to de NEC ein subcommittee on international relations, but dis time as deputy chairperson under Nomvula Mokonyane.

### Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises: 2023–present
Few weeks afta de 55th National Conference, on 6 March 2023, President Ramaphosa announce cabinet reshuffle wey move Bapela go become Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises.

Dem give Bapela de 96th position for de ANC ein national parliamentary list ahead of de 2024 general election. For de election inside, de ANC win only 73 seats from de national list, wey make Bapela lose ein seat for de National Assembly.

## Ein life matter
Bapela meet ein first wife, politician Connie Bapela, insyd 1981; dem get three adult children before she die for February 2018. Insyd October 2019 inside, he announce say he dey engaged to Palesa Ngomane, wey be civil servant from Mpumalanga.

Insyd 2005, dem burgle Bapela ein parliamentary residence insyd Cape Town. Insyd February 2016, dem carry am go Milpark Hospital sake of small injuries wey he get for car accident wey happen for N12 highway near Fochville, Gauteng.

## References


## External links
* Obed Bapela at People's Assembly
* Testimony to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission