Mac Jack Explained

Mac Jack
Office1:Northern Cape MEC for Education
Premier1:Zamani Saul[1]
Term Start1:29 May 2019[2]
Term End1:12 August 2020
Predecessor1:Martha Bartlett
Successor1:Zolile Monakali[3]
Office2:Northern Cape MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism
Premier2:Sylvia Lucas
Term Start2:1 June 2017[4]
Term End2:29 May 2019
Predecessor2:Gail Parker
Successor2:Maruping Lekwene
Premier3:Sylvia Lucas
Term Start3:1 March 2016
Term End3:10 May 2017[5]
Predecessor3:John Block[6]
Successor3:Gail Parker
Office4:Northern Cape MEC for Health
Premier4:Sylvia Lucas
Term Start4:30 May 2014[7]
Term End4:1 March 2016
Predecessor4:Mxolisa Sokatsha[8]
Successor4:Lebogang Motlhaping
Office5:Northern Cape MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison
Premier5:Sylvia Lucas
Term Start5:5 June 2013
Term End5:30 May 2014
Predecessor5:Patrick Mabilo
Successor5:Martha Bartlett
Office6:Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature
Term Start6:4 June 2013
Term End6:12 August 2020
Birthname:McCollen Ntsikelelo Jack
Birth Date:8 March 1965
Birth Place:Graaff-Reinet, Cape Province, South Africa
Death Place:Mediclinic Gariep Hospital, Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa
Death Cause:COVID-19
Nationality:South African
Party:African National Congress
Children:7
Alma Mater:Masibulele College of Education
Rand Afrikaans University
University of the Witwatersrand
University of Stellenbosch
Profession:Educator
Politician

McCollen Ntsikelelo Jack (8 March 196512 August 2020), known as Mac Jack, was a South African educator and politician. A member of the African National Congress, Jack was appointed to the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature in June 2013. He served as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Transport, Safety and Liaison from June 2013 until May 2014, when he was appointed the MEC for Health. Following a cabinet reshuffle in March 2016, he was appointed the MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism. Jack held the position until his appointment as MEC for Education in May 2019, despite him briefly being demoted from the Executive Council in May 2017.

Early life and education

McCollen Ntsikelelo Jack was born on 8 March 1965 in the town of Graaff-Reinet, then part of South Africa's Cape Province.[9] He matriculated from Thubalethu High School in Fort Beaufort in 1984. He went on to study at the Masibulele College of Education where he received a teacher's diploma. He then obtained a further diploma in educational management from the Rand Afrikaans University. From the University of the Witwatersrand, he attained a CPMD-Finance certificate, completed a Housing Policy Development Programme (HPDP), and received a certificate in governance and leadership. In 2013, Jack received his honours degree in public administration from the University of Stellenbosch. At the time of his death, he was busy fulfilling his master's degree from Wits University.

Career

Jack was first employed as a teacher at Isibane Primary School in his hometown. Later on, he began working as the principal at the Lillian Noveve Combined School in Victoria West. Not long after, the Eastern Cape Department of Education appointed him as an assistant chief education specialist. In 1997, the Northern Cape government appointed him as the deputy director-general of the provincial Department of Housing and Local Government in De Aar. He was also the municipal manager of the Pixley ka Seme District Municipality.

Political career

Jack was a long-standing member of the African National Congress. He served on the party's regional structure as an additional member, the treasurer, the secretary, prior to being elected chairperson of the region, a post he held for a decade. Jack had also served as a member of both the ANC's provincial executive committee and the provincial working committee.

Provincial government

On 4 June 2013, Jack was appointed a member of the provincial legislature. Newly elected premier Sylvia Lucas appointed him the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Transport, Safety and Liaison on 5 June, succeeding Patrick Mabilo.[10] [11] He held the position until after the 2014 general election, when Lucas moved him to the Health portfolio of the executive. Jack succeeded Mxolisa Sokatsha on 30 May, while Martha Bartlett became the new Transport, Safety and Liaison MEC.[12] Lucas reshuffled her cabinet on 1 March 2016 and appointed him the MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, succeeding John Block. Lebogang Motlhaping succeeded him as Health MEC.[13] In May 2017, Lucas removed him from the Executive Council and replaced him with Gail Parker. She reversed her decision on 1 June 2017. Following the 2019 general election, Zamani Saul was elected the provincial premier. He named him the MEC for Education. He was sworn in 29 May and succeeded Martha Bartlett. Maruping Lekwene took over as Finance MEC.[14]

Death

In August 2020, Jack tested positive for COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. He died from it on 12 August, at Mediclinic Gariep in the provincial capital Kimberley, aged 55. He was survived by his wife, seven children and nine grandchildren.[15] [16] [17] His funeral was held on 16 August, in his hometown.[18]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Northern Cape education MEC Mac Jack dies . Mail & Guardian . Bongekile . Macupe . 12 August 2020 . 13 August 2020.
  2. News: Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul unveils reduced cabinet . IOL . Getrude . Makhafola . 29 May 2019 . 13 August 2020.
  3. Web site: Premier Zamani Saul appoints Zolile Monakali as new Member of Executive Council for Education | South African Government.
  4. News: Makhafola . Gertrude . Sylvia Lucas to rescind cabinet reshuffle decision . 22 August 2020 . IOL . 1 June 2017 . Johannesburg.
  5. News: Mthukwane . Ntozakhe . Urgent reshuffle in Northern Cape cabinet . 22 August 2020 . News24 . 10 May 2017.
  6. News: No Surprises In Reshuffle . Wildenboer . Norma . 1 March 2016 . Diamond Fields Advertiser.
  7. News: 30 May 2014 . Northern Cape executive announced . News24.com.
  8. Web site: MEC Mxolisi Sokatsha. Province of the Northern Cape .
  9. News: Beangstrom . Patsy . Northern Cape Education MEC Mac Jack has died after being hospitalized for Covid-19 . 13 August 2020 . IOL . 12 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200813122120/https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/northern-cape/northern-cape-education-mec-mac-jack-has-died-after-being-hospitalized-for-covid-19-db56d8a6-c529-412b-8f3f-ac4b5f74b499 . 13 August 2020. live.
  10. News: John Block remains as Northern Cape reshuffles executive . 12 August 2020 . TimesLIVE . 12 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190507181816/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2013-06-05-john-block-remains-as-northern-cape-reshuffles-executive/ . 7 May 2019.
  11. News: Mokoena . Michael . No surprises in N Cape reshuffle . 12 August 2020 . IOL . 5 June 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190412203514/https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/no-surprises-in-n-cape-reshuffle-1527660 . 12 April 2019 . Kimberley.
  12. Web site: Premier Sylvia Lucas' formal announcement of Members of the Northern Cape Provincial Executive Council, Provincial Legislature, Kimberley . Government of South Africa . 12 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200725201938/https://www.gov.za/premier-sylvia-lucas%E2%80%99-formal-announcement-members-northern-cape-provincial-executive-council . 25 July 2020.
  13. News: Mere . Boipelo . NC council reshuffled . 12 August 2020 . News24 . 2 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200812204646/https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/local/express-news/nc-council-reshuffled-20160301 . 12 August 2020.
  14. News: Makhafola . Gertrude . Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul unveils reduced cabinet . 12 August 2020 . IOL . 29 May 2019 . Johannesburg. https://web.archive.org/web/20200318183303/https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/northern-cape/northern-cape-premier-zamani-saul-unveils-reduced-cabinet-24355713. 18 March 2020.
  15. News: Chothia . Andrea . Just In: Northern Cape Education MEC Mac Jack passes away . 12 August 2020 . The South African . 12 August 2020.
  16. News: Etheridge . Jenna . Northern Cape Education MEC McCollen Ntsikelelo Jack dies of Covid-19 . 12 August 2020 . News24 . 12 August 2020.
  17. News: Northern Cape education MEC Mac Jack dies . 12 August 2020 . TimesLIVE . 12 August 2020.
  18. News: Ntsane . Marvin . NC premier pays tribute to Jack . 16 August 2020 . OFM . 16 August 2020.