Dr Bonginkosi Emmanuel "Blade" Nzimande
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation in South Africa
Dr Bonginkosi Emmanuel "Blade" Nzimande was appointed the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation in South Africa on the 30th May 2019. Amongst his responsibilities, he led projects and initiatives in the fight against Covid-19, including the establishment and funding of the genomic surveillance project that led to the discovery of variants of Covid-19.
Dr Nzimande also led the launch of the Hydrogen Society RoadMap, the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Science, Technology & Innovation (STI), as well as leading the effort of the development of a COVID-19 local vaccine for South Africa.
He was the Minister of Transport from 27 February 2018 to 25 May 2019 and the Minister of Higher Education and Training from May 2009 until 17 October 2017.
Dr Nzimande has served as a member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1994 till 2017, and again from 2019 up to the present. He was a General Secretary (GS) of the South African Communist Party (SACP) from July 1998 until 16 July 2022 and appointed the National Chairperson of the Party from July 2022.
Dr Nzimande served as Member of Parliament and Chair of the Portfolio Committee between 1994 and 1999. Prior to the establishment of a democratic South Africa in 1994 Dr Nzimande had served in various roles as an anti-apartheid activist, in academia, community organisations and non- governmental organisations supporting the democratic labour movement.