Current Positions

Ms Elizabeth Thabethe is the Deputy Minister of Tourism of the Republic of South Africa with effect from 31 March 2017.

She has been a Member of Parliament since 1994; she is deputy chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) Women's League (ANCWL) in Gauteng; and a member of the ANC Provincial Executive Committee of the Gauteng ANCWL; and she is as a member of the Ekhuruleni Region of the ANC Regional Executive Committee.

Academic Qualifications

Ms Thabethe completed a Certificate in Economics through the University of South Africa (Unisa) and an Advanced Diploma in Economics in 2008 through Unisa.

Career/Positions/Memberships/Other Activities

Ms Thabethe was a coordinator for the East Rand ANCWL regional task team structure and a member of the ANC National Parliamentary Caucus. She was also provincial whip and a house whip from 1996 to 2004.

Between 2004 and June 2005 Ms Thabete chaired the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs and Tourism. She participated in various committees of the National Assembly: as a member including of the Labour Portfolio Committee and the Trade and Industry Committee. She was also as alternate member of the Rules Committee and Athe Joint Rules Committee.

Ms Thabethe also served as alternate member of the National Council of Provinces and the National Assembly Programme Committee she was an alternate member of the Chief Whip's Forum convener of the Human Resources Cluster the Strategy Meeting Whip's Forum the ANC Women's Parliamentary Caucus and Multiparty Women's Caucus and she was the Parliamentary Southern African Development Community representative.

Before being appointed as Minister of Small Business Development she served as Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry from 22 June 2005 until 10 May 2009.

Ms Thabethe was the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry of the Republic of South Africa from 1 November 2010 until 25 May 2014.

Ms Elizabeth Thabethe served as the Deputy Minister of Small Business Development of the Republic of South Africa; a position she has held from 26 May 2014 until 30 March 2017.