Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Bonginkosi Emmanuel “Blade” Nzimande |
| Date of Birth | April 14, 1958 (age 66 years) |
| Place of Birth | KwaDambuza, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa |
| Spouse | Phumelele Ntombela-Nzimande |
| Children | Nkululeko Nzimande |
| Current Position | Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation (since June 30, 2024) |
| Previous Positions | Minister of Higher Education and Training, Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Education |
| Political Affiliations | South African Communist Party (SACP), African National Congress (ANC) |
| Academic Qualifications | PhD in Industrial and Labour Studies (1993), MA in Industrial Psychology (1982), BA (Hons) Industrial Psychology (1981), BA in Psychology and Public Administration (1980) |
| Major Contributions | Expansion of NSFAS, establishment of coherent post-school education and training system in South Africa |
| Notable Involvements | ANC underground, SACP leadership, labor movement activism |
Early Life and Education
Dr. Bonginkosi Emmanuel Nzimande, widely known as Blade Nzimande, was born on April 14, 1958, in KwaDambuza, Pietermaritzburg, about 15 kilometers from the city center. He matriculated from Georgetown High School in Edendale, Pietermaritzburg, in 1975. In 1976, he enrolled at the University of Zululand, where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Public Administration and Psychology. During his time at the university, Nzimande was actively involved in student protests and boycotts, including those against the installation of Chief Buthelezi as chancellor and the university’s treatment of pregnant students. He graduated in 1979 and continued his education at the University of Natal, earning his Honors and Master’s degrees in Industrial Psychology by 1982.
Introduction to Marxism and Early Career
Nzimande’s political and academic outlook was significantly influenced by Marxism, introduced to him by one of his psychology lecturers, Mr. Grahame Hayes, at the University of Natal. Embracing Marxism, Nzimande became committed to producing more black Marxists to fight against apartheid and capitalism. From 1982 to 1984, he worked in the human resources department of Tongaat Hulett Sugar Ltd in Durban, where he began clandestine Marxist reading groups and tutored Unisa students through the South African Council for Higher Education (SACHED).
Academic and Political Involvement
In 1984, Nzimande accepted a full-time academic post as a senior lecturer at the Umlazi Campus of the University of Zululand, where he established the Department of Industrial Psychology. He faced harassment from both campus management and the apartheid Security Branch for his political teachings. In 1987, he moved to the University of Natal’s Howard College, where he continued his community and labor movement work. He also began working with the ANC underground in 1986, participating in the Post-Apartheid South Africa (PASA) project led by Thabo Mbeki.
Involvement with the SACP and ANC
Nzimande was recruited into the underground of the South African Communist Party (SACP) by Mzala Nxumalo in 1989. He played a significant role in the ANC and SACP interim leadership structures in the KZN Midlands after the unbanning of these organizations in 1990. Throughout the 1980s, he contributed to various progressive organizations and publications, including the South African Labour Bulletin and the progressive IsiZulu journal, Injula.
Political Career and Leadership
Since 1994, Nzimande has been a prominent figure in South Africa’s political landscape. He served as the first Chairperson of the Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Education from 1994 to 1999. In 1998, he was elected General Secretary of the SACP, a position he has held to date. He led the SACP in various mass struggles and campaigns, including those for financial sector transformation, land and agrarian reform, social wages, and affordable healthcare.
Ministerial Positions and Achievements
Nzimande was appointed the first Minister of Higher Education and Training by President Jacob Zuma in 2009, a position he held again in 2014. Under his leadership, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) saw significant growth, tripling from R3 billion to R9.5 billion in 2015 and expanding to cover students from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. He was instrumental in building a coherent, differentiated, and articulated post-school education and training system in South Africa.
On June 30, 2024, Nzimande was appointed as the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation. His tenure in this role is expected to bring continued progress and innovation to South Africa’s scientific and technological landscape.
Personal Life
Dr. Blade Nzimande is married to Phumelele Ntombela-Nzimande, and they are blessed with a son named Nkululeko Nzimande.
Academic Qualifications
- PhD in Industrial and Labour Studies (1993) – University of Natal (now University of KwaZulu Natal)
- MA in Industrial Psychology (1982) – University of Natal
- BA (Hons) Industrial Psychology (1981) – University of Natal
- BA (Majors in Psychology and Public Administration, 1980) – University of Zululand