Bentley Vass

Bentley Gavin Vass is a South African politician who has been the Northern Cape MEC forCooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs since June 2024. He was previously the MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs from February 2018 until June 2024 and led the Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison as part of the COGHSTA portfolio from 2024 until 2025. He was sworn in as a Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature in October 2017. Vass is a member of the African National Congress and the party's deputy provincial chairperson.

Politics

Vass is a member of the African National Congress. He was elected the party's deputy provincial chairperson in May 2017, succeeding Kenny Mmoiemang who stood down. Vass was also speaker and executive mayor of the Namakwa District Municipality.

On 3 October 2017, Vass was sworn in as a Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature. He filled the seat left vacant by the resignation of Dawid Rooi. Premier Sylvia Lucas appointed him as the Member of the Executive Council for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs on 15 February 2018. Vass succeeded Alvin Botes, who resigned from the provincial government to become a Member of the National Assembly. Following the 2019 general election, Zamani Saul was elected as the new premier. On 28 May 2019, he announced that Vass would remain in his position.
Vass was appointed to lead the amalgamated ministry of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements, Traditional Affairs, Transport, Safety and Liaison following the 2024 provincial election. In January 2025, Saul recreated the portfolio of MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison and then appointed Limakatso Koloi to lead it, while keeping Vass in his position.