Al Jama-ah leader Hendricks embraces new role as deputy minister

Al Jama-ah

Cape Town — Al Jama-ah leader, Ganief Hendricks, said he had his eye on the deputy president position, but was satisfied with his appointment as Deputy Minister of Social Development.

Hendricks, whose Al Jama-ah party joined the Government of National Unity (GNU) while negotiations were ongoing, was added to Ramaphosa’s cabinet as a deputy minister to Sisisi Tolashe. Hendricks revealed that he had ambitions to become the new deputy president, TimesLIVE reported.

“I never thought they’d offer me that position [deputy minister of social development]. I thought he’d offer me the deputy president position. All of us wanted to be the deputy president. It’s not a joke.” he said.

“If someone asks you what position you want, obviously you’d start off there, and as reality kicks in, you look at where your strengths lie and mine will lie in social development,” he added.

Hendricks embraced his new position with gratitude and said the president and minister can expect a lot from him. While he does not have any governance experience, he believes his sociology background will equip him to serve in this role.

He highlighted delays in grant payments as a priority once he takes office and is also confident his new position will allow him to implement projects he couldn’t before he got the position.

“We want to develop a socioeconomic response to reduce gangsterism and drugs. These are the things we’ve been working on that never got off the ground because we didn’t have funding, but now that I’m the deputy minister, I have a passion to make it succeed.” he said.

The party also released a statement congratulating Hendricks on his new appointment and said it was a pivotal moment for both him and the party.

“Hendricks has been a stalwart advocate for social welfare and community empowerment throughout his tenure, demonstrating unwavering dedication to the principles of compassion, equity, and progress. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping Al Jama-ah’s vision of a more inclusive and prosperous South Africa.”

“As deputy minister of social development, Hendricks will undoubtedly continue to champion policies that enhance social welfare, uplift vulnerable communities, and promote sustainable development across the nation. His extensive experience and unwavering commitment make him uniquely qualified to tackle the challenges ahead and drive meaningful change.”

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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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