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Dawid Rooi (born 22 July 1965) is a South African politician and former trade unionist who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature from 1999 to 2017. During that time, he served continuously in the Northern Cape Executive Council from 2009 to 2016: he was the Northern Cape's Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Roads and Public Works from 2009 to 2014 and MEC for Infrastructure and Public Works from 2014 to 2016. A former mineworker, Rooi rose to political prominence through the National Union of Mineworkers.

Early life and career

Rooi was born on 22 July 1965 in Klipfontein in Namakwa in the former Cape Province. He was expelled from high school due to his political activities but matriculated in 1993 while employed at an Alexkor diamond mine, where he worked from 1987 until 1999. He joined the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in 1987 and rose through the union's ranks to become a branch chairperson in 1996. He served as NUM Regional Chairperson and was a member of the NUM's national executive committee from 1996 to 1999.

Legislative career

In 1999, Rooi was elected to an ANC seat in the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature. During the legislative term that followed, he chaired the legislature's Standing Committee on Public Accounts. Towards the end of the term, in 2004, he also served briefly as MEC for Agriculture, Land Reform and Environment. He was re-elected to his seat in the 2004 general election and in the 2009 general election, and on 11 May 2009, Premier Hazel Jenkins announced that he would return to the Executive Council as MEC for Roads and Public Works. He held that portfolio throughout Jenkins' term and into the term of her successor, Premier Sylvia Lucas.

In the 2014 general election, Rooi was elected to his fourth term in the provincial legislature, ranked 11th on the ANC's provincial party list. After the election, on 30 May 2014, Lucas re-appointed him to the Executive Council with responsibility for the reconfigured portfolio of Infrastructure and Public Works. In February 2016, he resigned from the Executive Council. He remained an ordinary Member of the Provincial Legislature until early October 2017, when he resigned his seat; Bentley Vass filled the vacancy left by his departure.

Personal life

Rooi is married to Magdalene Rooi, with whom he has five children.

References

1. ^ "MEC Dawid Rooi". Northern Cape Provincial Government. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
2. "Northern Cape MECs announced". South African Government News Agency. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
3. "N Cape premier announces Cabinet". Mail & Guardian. 11 May 2009. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
4. "John Block remains as Northern Cape reshuffles executive". Sunday Times. 5 June 2013. Archived from the original on 7 May 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
5. ^ "Dawid Rooi". People's Assembly. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
6. "Formal Announcement of Members of the Northern Cape Provincial Executive Council". Northern Cape Provincial Government. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
7. Mere, Boipelo (2 March 2016). "NC council reshuffled". News24. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
8. Wildenboer, Norma (1 March 2016). "No Surprises In Reshuffle". Diamond Fields Advertiser. Retrieved 20 January 2023 – via PressReader.
9. "Changes on the cards for ANC members in the Northern Cape". OFM. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 2023-03-20.

External links

• Dawid Rooi at People's Assembly

• Members of the African National Congress
• Living people
• Members of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature
• 1965 births
• People from Namakwa District Municipality
• South African trade unionists