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Minister of Agriculture (South Africa)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Minister of Agriculture
since 3 July 2024
Department of Agriculture
StyleThe Honourable
AppointerCyril Ramaphosa
Inaugural holderLouis Botha
Formation30 June 2024
DeputyRosemary Capa

The Minister of Agriculture is a minister in the Cabinet of South Africa since 2024, when the corresponding department was split from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It holds the political executive responsibility for the Department of Agriculture, and for the Agricultural Research Council, the National Agricultural Marketing Council, Onderstepoort Biological Products, the Perishable Products Export Control Board, and Ncera Farms.[1]

The agriculture portfolio was created in the 2024 cabinet reorganisation after the re-election of President Cyril Ramaphosa as part of the government of national unity. The current Minister of Agriculture is John Steenhuisen.

List of agriculture ministers

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In the past, several other ministerial posts and portfolios included, or were exclusively responsible for, agriculture. The following is a historical list of these posts' official titles and their corresponding office holders.

Minister of Agriculture, 1910-1933

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Name Portrait Term Party Prime Minister
Louis Botha 31 May 1910 28 June 1912 SAP Louis Botha
(I) (II)
J.W. Sauer 28 June 1912 24 July 1913
Louis Botha 1913 1913
H.C. van Heerden 1913 20 March 1920
F.S. Malan
Smuts Cabinet 1923.jpg
20 March 1920 8 February 1921 SAP Jan Smuts
(I) (II)
Deneys Reitz 8 February 1921 19 June 1924
Jan Kemp 19 June 1924 17 May 1933 NP J.B.M. Hertzog
(I) (II)

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, 1933-1948

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Name Portrait Term Party Prime Minister
Jan Kemp 1934 1935 UP J.B.M. Hertzog
(III) (IV)
Deneys Reitz 1935 18 May 1938
W.R. Collins
SA Cabinet 1939.jpg
18 May 1938 17 July 1943
Jan Smuts
(takes office after Hertzog resignation)
J.G.N. Strauss 17 July 1943 26 May 1948 UP Jan Smuts
(III)

Minister of Agriculture, 1948-1958

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Name Portrait Term Party Prime Minister
S.P. le Roux 26 May 1948 16 April 1958 HNP D.F. Malan
(I) (II)

Minister of Water Affairs and Agricultural Technical Services, 1958-1966

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Name Portrait Term Party Prime Minister
P.K. le Roux 16 April 1958 30 March 1966 NP Strydom
(I)
Hendrik Verwoerd
(takes office after Strydom's death)

Minister of Agriculture and Water Affairs, 1966-1968

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Name Portrait Term Party Prime Minister
J.J. Fouché 30 March 1966 10 April 1968 NP Hendrik Verwoerd
(II)
B.J. Vorster
(takes office after Verwoerd's death)

Minister of Agriculture, 1968-1981

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Name Portrait Term Party Prime Minister
D.C.H. Uys 10 April 1968 1972 NP B.J. Vorster
(I) (II) (III)
Hendrik Schoeman 1972 29 April 1981

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, 1981-1982

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Name Portrait Term Party Prime Minister
Pietie du Plessis 29 April 1981 1982 NP P.W. Botha
(I)

Minister of Agriculture, 1982-1991

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Name Portrait Term Party President (since 1984)
J.J.G. Wentzel 1982 6 September 1989 NP P.W. Botha
(I) (II)
Jacob de Villiers 6 September 1989 1991 NP F.W. de Klerk
(I)

Minister of Agriculture and Development, 1991-1994

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Name Portrait Term Party President
Kraai van Niekerk 1991 10 May 1994 NP F.W. de Klerk
(I)

Minister of Agriculture, 1994-1996

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Name Portrait Term Party President
Kraai van Niekerk 10 May 1994 1996 NP Nelson Mandela
(Government of National Unity)

Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs, 1996-2009

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Name Portrait Term Party President
Derek Hanekom 1996 14 June 1999 ANC Nelson Mandela
(Government of National Unity)
Thoko Didiza 14 June 1999 22 May 2006 ANC Thabo Mbeki
(I) (II)
Lulama Xingwana 22 May 2006 9 May 2009
Kgalema Motlanthe
(takes office after Mbeki resigns)

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 2009-2019

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Name Portrait Term Party President
Tina Joemat-Peterson 9 May 2009 24 May 2014 ANC Jacob Zuma
(I) (II)
Senzeni Zokwana 24 May 2014 29 May 2019
ANC Cyril Ramaphosa (Feb 2018–)

Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, 2019-2024

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Name Portrait Term Party President
Thoko Didiza 29 May 2019 13 June 2024 ANC Cyril Ramaphosa

Minister of Agriculture 2024-present

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Name Portrait Term Party President
John Steenhuisen 3 July 2024 Incumbent DA Cyril Ramaphosa

References

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  1. ^ "DAFF Structure" (PDF). Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Retrieved 9 October 2009. [dead link]