Minister of Education (South Africa)
# Minister of Education (South Africa)

The Minister of Education was a minister in the Cabinet of South Africa responsible for overseeing the Department of Education, including South Africa's schools and universities.

On 10 May 2009 newly elected president Jacob Zuma split the education portfolio into that of the Minister of Basic Education and that of the Minister of Higher Education and Training.

## Ministers with responsibility for Education

| Minister | Ministry | Incumbency | Under |
| - | - | - | - |
| François Stephanus Malan | Minister of Education | 1910–1921 | Louis Botha→Jan Smuts (1919-'21) |
| Sir Patrick Duncan | Minister of the Interior, Education and Public Health | 1921–1924 | J. B. M. Hertzog |
| Daniel François Malan | Minister of the Interior, Education and Public Health | 1924–1933 | J. B. M. Hertzog |
| Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr | Minister of Finance and Education | 1933–1948 | Jan Smuts |
| Albert Jacobus Stals | Minister of Education | 1948–1949 | D.F. Malan |
| Charles Roberts Swart | Minister of Education | 1949–1950 | D.F. Malan |
| H.J. Viljoen | Minister of Education, Arts and Science | 1950–1957 | D.F. Malan |
| J.J. Serfontein | Minister of Education, Arts and Science | 1958–1961 | Hans Strydom |
| Johannes de Klerk | Minister of Education, Arts and Science | 1961–1966 | Hendrik Verwoerd |
| Johannes de Klerk | Minister of Education, Arts and Sciences and Information | 1966–1967 | John Vorster |
| Johannes de Klerk | Minister of National Education | 1968–1969 | John Vorster |
| Johannes Petrus van der Spuy | Minister of Education and Training | | |
| Ferdinand Hartzenberg | Minister of Education and Training | 1979–1982 | PW Botha |
| Gerrit Viljoen | Minister of National Education | 1980–1989 | PW Botha |
| F. W. de Klerk | Minister of National Education and Planning | 1984–1989 | PW Botha |
| Piet Clase | Minister of Education and Culture | 1985–1989 | PW Botha |
| Gene Louw | Minister of Education | 1989–1990 | FW De Klerk |
| Louis Pienaar | Minister of Education | 1990–1992 | FW De Klerk |
| Piet Marais | Minister of Education | 1992–1994 | FW De Klerk |

### Post-apartheid period

| Minister | Ministry | Incumbency | Under |
| - | - | - | - |
| Sibusiso Bengu | Education | 1994–1999 | Nelson Mandela |
| Kader Asmal | Education | 1999–2004 | Thabo Mbeki |
| Naledi Pandor | Education | 2004–2008 | Thabo Mbeki |
| Naledi Pandor | Education | 2008–2009 | Kgalema Motlanthe |
| Angie Motshekga | Basic Education | 2009–present | Jacob Zuma→Cyril Ramaphosa |
| Blade Nzimande | Higher Education and Training | 2009–2017 | Jacob Zuma→Cyril Ramaphosa |
