Minister of Social Development Zola Skweyiya of South Africa

I don't know where Minister Skweyiya was on that day.

All I know is that Mazibuko-Skweyiya is worth millions of rands, thanks to her 7,3 percent stake in Wesizwe Platinum; and that Wesizwe Platinum's prosperity is not unrelated to new prospecting permits that were issued to wholly owned subsidiary Bakubung Minerals when Mlambo-Ngcuka was minister of minerals and energy and responsible for approving all permits.

But, being a diplomat, he called me my brother, told me that he would arrange for Morobe to call me immediately (Morobe never did), and even told me that he was 100 percent certain that Skweyiya had not been in the UAE.

By 3pm Kaunda was text-messaging me - she still would not answer the phone - that she could say on the record that Skweyiya had not been on the flight.

These assurances included the promise that neither Ngcuka nor Mazibuko-Skweyiya had pursued personal business interests while on the trip: another comment Morobe may live to rue.

We were also told Skweyiya had never been acting president; that this had been a misunderstanding in the media.

Dr Skweyiya was Minister of Public Service and Administration from 1994 to 1999 and has been Minister of Social Development since 1999.

His deep and real concern about the children and their poverty perhaps explains why Skweyiya is generally viewed as the best man for the job of South Africa's social development minister - he is passionate about improving the quality of life of South Africa's poor.

Skweyiya is in charge of the Department of Social Development, which has to deal with the burgeoning problem of child-headed families - those orphaned by Aids - as well as trying to help millions of poverty-stricken people across the country, people who have to struggle to find food every day.

A senior provincial social welfare official says Skweyiya was one of the more out-spoken ministers at the Cabinet meeting where the government decided, finally, to provide anti-retroviral treatment for people living with HIV/Aids - something long resisted by President Thabo Mbeki, among others.

Skweyiya was very vocal because of his face-to-face confrontation with Aids when he travelled the country, said the official.

Skweyiya came under fire from children's rights organisations for trying to fast-track the Children's Bill through Parliament.

While boasting that no organisations had raised the issue of poverty on the international stage as much as the ANC and the South African government, Skweyiya said he felt communities could do more to fight poverty.

the poverty of depressed communities.

South African social development minister, Zola Skweyiya said the implementation of the training program was part of an agreement of cooperation with Cuba's minister of labor and social security, Alfredo Morales Cartaya.

Skweyiya was in Cuba to strengthen ties and formalize cooperation on social security, services to women, youth and children, community development, poverty alleviation and the training of social service professionals.

5 million, Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya said on Monday.

JOHANNESBURG - Senior ANC cabinet minister Zola Skweyiya has criticised the shocking disrespect shown to Thabo Mbeki in the last year, the Sunday Independent reported.

PRETORIA - Increases in social grants will be backdated to October, Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya said on Thursday.

JOHANNESBURG - Foreign children have the same right as their SA counterparts to be protected, Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya said on Tuesday.

JOHANNESBURG - Zola Skweyiya, the Minister of Social Sevelopment, is in the spotlight over allegations of a R3billion social grant tender that might be given to his wifes business partner, Mazwi Yako.

CAPE TOWN A single-minded focus on economic growth could lead to social policy matters like childhood development, education and health being ignored, Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya said on Wednesday.

Skweyiya said that "On this international day and indeed every day of our lives we should lend a hand to ensure that people with disabilities have adequate access to services like social grants, job opportunities and make sure that the stigma and prejudice that still exists regarding disabilities are removed.

Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya has urged people to care and support the elderly, as required by law, to promote and protect their rights.

Dr Skweyiya was speaking in Cape Town yesterday, at a Christmas function organised by his department to honor older persons for their significant contribution to the social, economic and political development of the country.

spokesperson S'phiwe Maphumulo on Sunday night.

South Africa is increasing its efforts to prevent the spread of drug-resistant tuberculosis by making appropriate treatments available in the public health sector and providing health care workers with training, Minister of Social Development Zola Skweyiya said at a media briefing on Tuesday, BuaNews reports.

In addition, Skweyiya said that the country is expanding hospital isolation wards and refining surveillance and detection methods in an attempt to contain extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis -- TB that is resistant to the two most potent first-line treatments and some of the available second-line drugs (Benton, BuaNews, 5/8.

voice to this extremely important call, said Mr Bekker.

Social development minister Zola Skweyiya has said that fewer AIDS orphans are finding adoptive families in South Africa even as their numbers and the cases of abuse are growing steadily.

Fewer AIDS orphans are finding adoptive families in South Africa even as their numbers and the cases of abuse are growing steadily, social development minister Zola Skweyiya said Monday.

Skweyiya said the controversy relating to the functioning of the NCCC had been dragging on for too long and "in the best interest of the members of the public, I want to ensure that they are brought to finality soonest.

The Minister of Social Development Dr Zola Skweyiya has called upon members of the public to apply for social grants from offices of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) nationwide only, and not from unauthorised persons, including representatives of political parties.

Minister Skweyiya has run a successful.

Minister Skweyiya is scheduled to return to South Africa on Thursday, 27 November 2008.

The Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya has announced security measures to protect pensioners from economic abuse at pension pay points, ahead of the celebration of Grandparents day on Sunday, 5 October.

Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya has described a call by the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) for people living with HIV and AIDS to go on a hunger strike as irresponsible.

Minister Skweyiya said on Tuesday that he was surprised and saddened by the approach taken by Director of NAPWA, Nkululeko Nxesi, calling on HIV positive people and those living with AIDS to go on a hunger strike since the department had made every effort, after repeated meetings to address the matter.

Statement by Social Development Minister on irregular distribution of application forms for social grants 22 December 2008 The Minister of Social Development Dr Zola Skweyiya has called upon members of the public to apply for social grants from offices of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) nationwide only, and not from unauthorised persons, including representatives of political.

Skweyiya described his alleged behaviour as "outrageous, despicable and totally unacceptable.