Quick Facts
| Full Name | Leon Amos Schreiber |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 11 September 1988 (age 36 years) |
| Place of Birth | Piketberg, Cape Province (now Western Cape), South Africa |
| Citizenship | South Africa |
| Political Party | Democratic Alliance (DA) |
| Current Position | Minister of Home Affairs (since 3 July 2024) |
| Parliamentary Career | Member of the National Assembly (since May 2019) |
| Education | BA in International Studies (2009), Honours in Political Science (2010), MA in Political Science (2011) from Stellenbosch University; PhD in Political Science (2015) from Free University of Berlin |
| Notable Publications | Coalition Country: South Africa After the ANC (2018) |
| Awards and Recognition | Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans (2017), First runner-up in St. Gallen Symposium Global Essay Competition (2015) |
Biography of Leon Schreiber
Early Life and Education
Born on 11 September 1988 in Piketberg, Leon Schreiber spent his early years in Kleinzee, a small town in the Namaqualand region of the former Cape Province. He matriculated in 2006 from Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch. Schreiber then pursued higher education at Stellenbosch University, earning a BA in International Studies in 2009, Honours in Political Science in 2010, and an MA in Political Science in 2011.
In 2015, Schreiber completed his PhD in Political Science at the Free University of Berlin. His dissertation focused on social welfare institutions in South Africa and Brazil. That same year, he was recognized as the first runner-up in the St. Gallen Symposium Global Essay Competition for his essay on basic income guarantees.
Career in Research
From 2015 to 2019, Schreiber was a senior research specialist at Princeton University, where he was involved in the Innovations for Successful Societies program. His research covered social policy, South African politics, the political economy of development, and institution-building in low- and middle-income countries. His time at Princeton highlighted the critical role of ethical political leadership in ensuring good governance.
Schreiber’s significant contributions to research earned him a spot in the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans list in 2017. In 2018, he authored Coalition Country: South Africa After the ANC, predicting a decline in the African National Congress’s electoral majority.
Political Career
Parliamentarian: 2019–2024
In the 2019 general election, Schreiber was elected to the National Assembly as a candidate for the Democratic Alliance. Ranked eighth on the party’s regional list in the Western Cape constituency, he quickly made his mark. On 5 June 2019, he was appointed as Shadow Minister of Public Service and Administration in Mmusi Maimane’s shadow cabinet, a position he retained under John Steenhuisen’s leadership in 2020. Schreiber became known for his effective role in the shadow cabinet, particularly for his campaign against cadre deployment in the national government.
In his shadow cabinet portfolio, Schreiber represented the DA in the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration. He also served on the Section 194 Enquiry into the impeachment of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane. Additionally, he was appointed as one of the DA’s 12 whips in December 2021 and later as a strategy and communications advisor to DA leader Steenhuisen in April 2023.
Minister of Home Affairs: 2024–Present
On 3 July 2024, Schreiber was appointed as Minister of Home Affairs, marking a new chapter in his political career. In this role, he continues to influence South African politics, building on his extensive experience and dedication to public service.
Leon Schreiber’s journey from academia to high-level politics exemplifies his commitment to ethical leadership and good governance. As he continues to serve as Minister of Home Affairs, his impact on South Africa’s political landscape is set to grow even further.