MEC FOR ROADS AND TRANSPORT: BHEKI SIMON NKOSI

Born in 1964, the youngest Nkosi was named Bheki z we, meaning 'care for the nation'. With that to live up to, it was perhaps no surprise that Bheki became an activist, a choice that did not please his father, a policeman.

His family went on to be very supportive of his activities in all spheres and Bheki returned their confidence by earning his B Proc through Unisa in 1997, and more recently, his LLB.

Having witnessed the student uprising while still young, it was in 1979, while a student at Vlakfontein Technical High School , that he cut his political teeth by becoming involved in the campaign to prevent the hanging of Solomon Mahlangu. He started the process to form a branch of Cosas and made his voice heard in the fight for better education by taking part in the student boycotts of the early 1980s. He went on to participate in various initiatives, including company boycotts, and the Rikhotso and Free Mandela campaigns.

His political awareness was further shaped by the assassinated Dr Fabian and Florence Ribeiro, at whose house he would listen to stories of the struggle and take part in poetry readings. At the time, he was a member of Siazama, ostensibly a cultural organisation that in reality focused on conscientising the youth about the struggle.

In 1983, Bheki founded the Mamelodi Youth Organisation and became its president in 1985. His experience as youth representative continued later as regional organiser of the UDF. He was detained for a year from 1986 and again, this time with Stanza Bopape, in 1988.  On his release, he became second chairperson of Sayco and was part of the process to re-establish ANCYL in Tshwane, serving as chairperson. This, with the role he played in the formation of street committees in Mamelodi in the 1980s, rates as a highlight of his political career.

In 1994, he was elected Deputy President of ANCYL and then became national organiser until he entered the Legislature in 1997. Simultaneously, he was a member of the Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC and Regional Secretary of the Tshwane branch. He is currently regional chair of that branch.

At the Legislature, he was chairperson of the Finance Committee, including the Gauteng Shared Services Centre. He is convenor of the Economic Transformation Committee of the ANC caucus, in which role he monitors the translation of the party's manifesto into government programmes.

Married to Lebogang and a father of three boys, Bheki relaxes by listening to jazz and reading legal, historical and political books. He also studies Constitutional Court judgments. On a lighter note, he plays a little volleyball and soccer.