Benny Boshielo

Benny Boshielo
Provincial Secretary of the Limpopo African National Congress
In office
1998–2001
DeputyJerry Ndou
ChairpersonNgoako Ramatlhodi
Preceded byCollins Chabane
Succeeded byCassel Mathale
Member of the Limpopo Executive Council for Transport
In office
1997–1998
PremierNgoako Ramatlhodi
Preceded byJohan Kriek
Succeeded byAaron Motsoaledi
Personal details
Born
Legodi Bernard Boshielo

1962 or 1963 (age 61–62)
Political partyAfrican National Congress
SpousePolly Boshielo

Legodi Bernard "Benny" Boshielo (born 1962 or 1963) is a South African businessman and former politician from Limpopo. Formerly a prominent member of the African National Congress (ANC), he resigned from the Limpopo government in 2012 to work for African Rainbow Minerals.

Life and career

Born in 1962 or 1963,[1] Boshielo is from present-day Limpopo.[2] He attended the University of the North, graduating in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts and a diploma in education.[3] Thereafter he was a teacher for eight months before he moved abroad to pursue a Master's degree in education in Amsterdam.[3]

In the post-apartheid period, Boshielo served stints as a Member of the Provincial Legislature in Limpopo,[3] as Provincial Secretary of the Limpopo ANC,[4] as chairperson of the council of his alma mater,[5] and as chief executive officer of Limpopo Tourism and Parks.[6] During his time in the Limpopo Provincial Legislature, he served briefly as Member of the Executive Council for Transport; he was appointed to that post in July 1997 by Premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi, but he resigned in 1998 when he was elected to the full-time ANC provincial secretary position.[7][8]

After the 2009 general election, he became director-general in the Limpopo Department of Education, then led by provincial minister Dickson Masemola,[9] but he resigned in July 2011.[10] Thereafter he became an executive at Patrice Motsepe's African Rainbow Minerals (ARM); in June 2012, he was promoted to executive for corporate affairs at ARM Platinum, in which capacity he reported directly to ARM's chief executive officer.[11]

Corruption allegations

Boshielo's brief tenure at the Limpopo Education Department was beset by corruption allegations. Alleged mismanagement under his tenure was first flagged by the Auditor General shortly after Boshielo's departure from the department in 2011.[10] In 2012, the Mail & Guardian reported that the Special Investigating Unit was investigating department officials for possible tender corruption in a major textbook contract with EduSolutions;[12] a department whistleblower alleged, and Boshielo denied, that Boshielo had approved the contract irregularly.[13] Later that year the Mail & Guardian reported on alleged corruption in school nutrition programme contracts under Boshielo.[14] Finally, and separately, in September 2014, Boshielo and another department official were arrested for fraud of R70 million in connection with a Hawks investigation into the award of contracts for the supply of mobile classrooms.[1][15]

Personal life

He is married to politician Polly Boshielo.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b "Hawks arrest Limpopo pair for fraud of R70 million". SAPS (South African Police Service). 30 September 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  2. ^ Malope, Lesetja (15 April 2018). "Community blames 'arrogant' mine for unrest". Business. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b c On the Move – University of Limpopo Alumni (PDF). University of Limpopo. p. 30.
  4. ^ "A battle for power in the regions". The Mail & Guardian. 26 April 2001. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Edupark probe slammed as 'smear'". The Mail & Guardian. 17 December 1999. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Chiefs, Leopards ready to show off in Limpopo". The Mail & Guardian. 10 July 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Northern Province executive reshuffled". The Mail & Guardian. 1 July 1997. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  8. ^ "Axed MEC back in N Province cabinet". Sowetan. 25 August 1998. Retrieved 2 August 2023 – via allAfrica.
  9. ^ "System crash spoils the party". Sowetan. 8 January 2010. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Dodgy dealings in Education Department have come to light". The Star. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  11. ^ "African Rainbow Minerals Limited announces changes to the composition of its Board of Directors and executive management". African Rainbow Minerals. 1 June 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  12. ^ "SIU probes senior officials in textbook shame". The Mail & Guardian. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  13. ^ Merwe, Jeanne van der (15 January 2012). "'Bigwigs' behind Limpopo books bungle". News24. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  14. ^ "Limpopo tenders: The feast kept in the family". The Mail & Guardian. 2 November 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Former edu HOD in court for fraud". Polokwane Observer. 2 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  16. ^ Louw-Carstens, Marietie (15 July 2015). "Speaker van Limpopo-wetgewer uitgeskop". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 26 December 2024.