Meet the Director-General, Advocate Sandile Nogxina

Current position

Director-General for Minerals and Energy since February 1998.

His vision and goals for the department

Adv Nogxina says he would like to see the Department of Minerals and Energy transformed into a well-functioning and development-orientated machine, strategically positioned and geared up for the delivery of services to all. "As the head of this department I would like to focus on developing policies that will serve to redress the structural imbalances engendered by our history in these important economic sectors. Internally, my priority will be to re-engineer the department with a view to making it an effective instrument for the realisation of the vision of our government. It is for this reason that we need to continuously plan, implement and evaluate our strategies as our contribution to the creation of a new order that clearly defines the future direction of our country."

Academic qualifications

• 1976: Matriculated at the Mfundisweni High School.
• 1984: Bachelor of Law Degree, University of Fort Hare
• 1991: Master of Law Degree in Law Development, University of Warwick, England
• 1994: Higher Diploma in Tax Law, University of Witwatersrand

Career and membership

• 1982: Began his career as a public prosecutor in the magistrate's court in Umzimkulu, Transkei, whereafter he held several legal occupations
• 1987: Legal advisor and researcher for the ANC at its headquarters in Zambia, Lusaka
• 1991 to 1994: Employed by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) at the University of the Western Cape and seconded to the ANC's Constitution Committee.
• 1995: Special advisor to the Minister of Public Service and Administration
• 1996: Deputy Director-General in the Public Service and Administration Department
• Holds the professional membership of advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa.
• Attended several special courses during his career such as specialised training in military intelligence in Moscow. In 1995, he attended a course in Civil Service Reform and Policy Formulation in The Hague, Netherlands and Turin, Italy, as well as training in Public Sector Labour Relations in Geneva, Switzerland.