Edna Molewa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edna Molewa
D.A.S(hc) Officier de la légion d’honneur
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| Minister of Environmental Affairs | |
| In office 26 May 2014 – 22 September 2018 |
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| President | Jacob Zuma Cyril Ramaphosa |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Nomvula Mokonyane |
| Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs | |
| In office 31 October 2010 – 25 May 2014 |
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| President | Jacob Zuma |
| Preceded by | Buyelwa Sonjica |
| Succeeded by | Nomvula Mokonyane as Minister of Water and Sanitation. |
| Minister of Social Development | |
| In office 11 May 2009 – 31 October 2010 |
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| President | Jacob Zuma |
| Preceded by | Zola Skweyiya |
| Succeeded by | Bathabile Dlamini |
| 2nd Premier of North West Province | |
| In office 30 April 2004 – 6 May 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Popo Molefe |
| Succeeded by | Maureen Modiselle |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 March 1957 Warmbaths, Transvaal, South Africa |
| Died | 22 September 2018 (aged 61) Pretoria, South Africa |
| Political party | African National Congress |
| Spouse | Richard Molewa (sep. 2017) |
| Children | Keneilwe Mogasoa, Didi Sethema, Michael Sethema and Basiame Sethema |
Bomo Edith Edna Molewa (23 March 1957 – 22 September 2018) was an important South African politician. She was a member of the African National Congress party. Edna Molewa became the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs in 2010. This happened after President Jacob Zuma changed some government roles. In 2014, her ministry was split. She then became the Minister of Environmental Affairs. She worked to protect South Africa's natural world.
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Edna Molewa's Political Journey
Edna Molewa was involved in South Africa's freedom movement from 1976 to 1990. She worked with groups that fought for change. She also helped with economic development in different regions. From 1984, she led a workers' union. She later became its deputy president.
In 1994, Molewa made history. She became the first woman to lead the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry. This committee helps guide laws about business. In 1996, she joined the Executive Council for Tourism, Environment and Conservation.
She continued to serve in important roles. From 1998 to 2000, she worked on economic development and tourism. Between 2000 and 2004, she focused on agriculture and the environment. On 30 April 2004, she became the first woman Premier of the North West Province. This means she was like the governor of that province. She held this job until 2009. Many say she helped the province grow a lot.
For a short time, Molewa was Minister of Social Development. But in 2010, she became the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs. She took over from Buyelwa Sonjica. In May 2014, her department was divided. She then became the Minister of the new Department of Environmental Affairs. She held this position until she passed away in 2018. Molewa was also a leader in the African National Congress Women's League.
Protecting the Environment
As Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa worked hard to protect animals. She focused on saving rhinoceroses. Her team started many projects to help rhinos.
- They moved rhinos from dangerous areas to safer ones.
- They created programs to stop poaching (illegal hunting).
- They worked with police to catch criminals.
- They also looked into selling rhino horn stockpiles. This was a debated idea. Some thought it could help fund conservation. Others worried it would make poaching worse.
Rhino Conservation Efforts
Molewa's department supported research into rhino horn trade. They moved over 200 white rhinos to private properties. This was to keep them safe. However, some planned sales were stopped. This happened when it was found that some buyers owned hunting reserves.
The Minister also announced a group to study selling rhino horn. This group would decide if South Africa should sell its large stockpile of rhino horns. This idea caused a lot of discussion. Many conservationists worried it would increase demand for horns. They feared it could harm rhinos more.
Air Quality and Pollution
In 2015, some environmental groups criticized Molewa's department. This was because they allowed some big companies to delay cleaning up their air pollution. Companies like Eskom and Sasol were given more time. This meant they could postpone installing equipment to reduce harmful emissions. These emissions include sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
Minister Molewa explained that this delay would help the economy. She said it would give industries time to upgrade their plants. This way, they could meet air quality standards later.
Lion Bone Export Quota
In 2017, Molewa approved a plan to export lion skeletons. These bones came from lions raised in captivity. They were sent to Asian countries. There, they were used to make products like fake tiger bone wine. The first quota allowed 800 lion skeletons each year.
This decision caused a lot of concern. Many conservation groups and scientists were worried. They believed it could harm wild lions and other big cats. They also worried about how the captive lion industry was run. Critics said it was not well-regulated. They feared it could lead to more illegal wildlife trade.
People around the world also spoke out against this trade. They felt it damaged South Africa's image. Despite the concerns, in 2018, Molewa nearly doubled the quota to 1500 skeletons a year. Some researchers involved in the studies disagreed with this increase. Also, some airlines, like Singapore Air, decided to stop carrying big cat body parts from South Africa.
Edna Molewa's Education
Edna Molewa studied at the University of South Africa. She earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree there. She also took a leadership course at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She received a certificate from the Wharton Business School. This certificate was for an Economic Leadership Development Programme.
Her Passing
Edna Molewa returned from a trip to China on 8 September 2018. She had caught a virus there. A few days later, she was hospitalized. She was put into a special sleep to help her recover. After waking up, she seemed to get better for a short time. However, she sadly passed away on 22 September 2018 in Pretoria. She was 61 years old.
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Edna Molewa, a South African politician.
