Buyelwa Sonjica

Buyelwa Patience Sonjica
Buyelwa Sonjica at the World Economic Forum on Africa in 2010
Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry
In office 10 May 2009 – 1 November 2010
President	Jacob Zuma
Preceded by	Lindiwe Hendricks
Succeeded by	Edna Molewa
Minister of Minerals and Energy
In office 22 May 2006 – 10 May 2009
President	Kgalema Motlanthe
Succeeded by	Dipuo Peters
Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry
In office 29 April 2004 – 22 May 2006
President	Thabo Mbeki
Preceded by	Ronnie Kasrils
Succeeded by	Lindiwe Hendricks
Personal details
Born	(1950-03-23) 23 March 1950 (age 67)
Nationality	South African
Political party	African National Congress

Buyelwa Patience Sonjica (born 23 March 1950) is a South African politician who served as Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs from May 2009 until November 2010.

Sonjica received degrees from Vista University and Rhodes University. She worked as a student nurse and a teacher.

In 1976/77 she was involved in student politics in East London. She was active against the Apartheid regime in the UDF and SADTU when the African National Congress was illegal in South Africa. After the readmission of the ANC, she became active for it in Port Elizabeth.

Since the 1994 general election, Sonjica is a member of South Africa's Parliament, and she was Deputy minister in the Department for Arts and Culture. In 2004, she was appointed as Minister in the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, in 2006 as Minister for Minerals and Energy, and in 2009 as Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs.