Minister of Education (South Africa)


The minister of education was a minister in the Cabinet of South Africa responsible for overseeing the Department of Education, including South Africa's schools and universities.
On 10 May 2009 newly elected president Jacob Zuma split the education portfolio into that of the minister of basic education and that of the minister of higher education and training.

Ministers with responsibility for education

MinisterMinistryIncumbencyUnder
François Stephanus MalanEducation1910–1921Louis Botha→Jan Smuts
Sir Patrick DuncanInterior, education and public health1921–1924J. B. M. Hertzog
Daniel François MalanInterior, education and public health1924–1933J. B. M. Hertzog
Jan Hendrik HofmeyrFinance and education1933–1948Jan Smuts
Education1948–1949D.F. Malan
Charles Roberts SwartEducation1949–1950D.F. Malan
Johannes Hendrikus ViljoenEducation, arts and science1950–1957D.F. Malan
Education, arts and science1958–1961Hans Strydom
Johannes de KlerkEducation, arts and science1961–1966Hendrik Verwoerd
Johannes de KlerkEducation, arts and sciences and information1966–1967John Vorster
Johannes de KlerkNational education1968–1969John Vorster
Education and training
Ferdinand HartzenbergEducation and training1979–1982PW Botha
Gerrit ViljoenNational education1980–1989PW Botha
F. W. de KlerkNational education and planning1984–1989PW Botha
Education and culture1985–1989PW Botha
Gene LouwEducation1989–1990FW De Klerk
Louis PienaarEducation1990–1992FW De Klerk
Piet MaraisEducation1992–1994FW De Klerk