Deputy Minister Padayachie holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree from
the University of Durban-Westville, with Chemistry and Microbiology as
majors, and a Masters of Science (MSc) degree in Agricultural Economics
from the University of London, majoring in Business Management and
Marketing.
Career in brief:
- Deputy Minister of Communications, since April 2004
- Formulations Chemist at Plascon Evans Paints (1974 – 1975)
- Microbiologist at Reckitt and Colman (1976 – 1979)
- Research chemist at Shell Chemical (1979 – 1980)
- Development Director at Community Education Development Trust
(1980)
- Deputy Minister Padayachie also has extensive business and
professional experience, having run his own Business Development and
Marketing Company for the last few years in Advertising, Marketing
and Project Development consultancy work.
Political and Professional experience
Mr. Padayachie served in various capacities in social movements and
community organizations for change and democracy in the country, having
risen to and held positions of leadership in the Natal Indian Congress,
the United Democratic Front and the African National Congress (ANC). He
joined the ANC in early 1972 and has been an active member ever since,
serving in the underground, political and open mass democratic and legal
structures. He was a member of the ANC KwaZulu Natal negotiations team
at CODESA, the Congress for a Democratic South Africa that negotiated
South Africa’s peaceful transition from Apartheid to Democracy.
He has the ability to engage in good networking relationships with
several senior leaders in government, civil society, the business
community and stakeholders at all levels. He also possesses exceptional
leadership, training and motivational skills and the ability to motivate
others and develop and work in teams. He is also an innovative,
strategic and dynamic thinker and doer.
Mr. Padayachie has considerable senior and leadership level
experience in development work. Throughout his career, as an academic
and activist, he has been passionately motivated by his concerns for the
development of the disadvantaged. Having made a contribution to the
successful realization of political and democratic transformation, he
remains committed to the eradication of poverty.
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