Hazel Jenkins

Hazel Jenkins
Premier of the Northern Cape
In office 6 May 2009 – 22 May 2013
Preceded by	Dipuo Peters
Succeeded by	Sylvia Lucas
Personal details
Political party	African National Congress

Hazel Gertrude Jenkins is a South African politician and former Premier of the Northern Cape province. She served as Premier from May 2009 until she officially stood down in April 2013, following a stroke. The motion to recognise her stepping down as Premier (on medical grounds) was defeated in a vote by the legislature on 30 April 2013 so that technically Jenkins remained Premier. Hence Sylvia Lucas was sworn in on 30 April not as Jenkins' successor but as Acting Premier. Jenkins subsequently resigned, as of 22 May 2013, paving the way for Lucas to be sworn in as her successoron 23 May 2013.

Aged 49 at the time that she assumed office as Premier, Jenkins had been the Mayor of the Pixley ka Seme (formerly Bo Karoo) District Municipality, at De Aar in the Karoo. Previously she was a teacher.

Born on 6 June 1960 in Ceres in the Western Cape, she was educated in Worcester, matriculating from the Esselen Park High School. She graduated with a teaching diploma from the Bellville Training College, with her first posting as a teacher at Rocklands High School in Mitchell's Plain, Cape Town. Jenkins was a Youth Councillor in the Anglican Church.

In 1995 Jenkins was elected as a Councillor in De Aar's Emthanjeni Local Municipality, going on to serve as Executive Mayor for the Bo-Karoo District Municipality. She served two terms as the Deputy Chairperson of the South African Local Government Association.

In 2009, following the landslide victory of the ruling African National Congress in the general election, Jenkins was announced as the party's nominee for Premier of the Northern Cape, in succession to Dipuo Peters. The announcement drew criticism from the provincial ANC branch, however, which was annoyed at the sidelining of its chairperson John Block. Jenkins said at the time: "We will work as a united force. Contrary to what some might say about the premier being a puppet on a string, we will work as a collective..." Block pledged his support, adding "I still remain the political head of the Province and together with the PEC (Provincial Executive Council) will assist and guide Jenkins and the rest of the Executive Council."

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