Mr Ebrahim Patel

Ebrahim Patel was appointed minister of economic development in May 2009, prior to which he was overall convenor for organised labour at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac). Active in the trade union movement since his student days at the University of the Western Cape, Patel  has served on negotiating teams in numerous forums, including the International Labour Organisation (ILO). A founder member of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), he was general secretary of the South African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) before taking up his position as a member of cabinet.