Sej Motau Explained

Sej Motau
Office:Shadow Minister of Presidency
Predecessor:Joe McGluwa
Term Start:5 June 2014
Term End:7 May 2019
Leader:Mmusi Maimane
Successor:Solly Malatsi
Order2:Shadow Minister of Economic Development
Predecessor2:Haniff Hoosen
Term Start2:2012
Term End2:5 June 2014
Order3:Shadow Minister of Labour
Predecessor3:Andrew Louw
Term Start3:2012
Term End3:2013
Order4:Shadow Minister of Energy
Successor4:Lance Greyling
Term End4:2012
Office5:Member of the National Assembly
Term Start5:6 May 2009
Term End5:7 May 2019
Birth Date:18 July 1943
Birth Place:Pretoria, Transvaal Province, Union of South Africa
Nationality:South African
Party:Democratic Alliance (Until 2019)

Sejamothopo "Sej" Motau (born 18 July 1943) is a politician, journalist, communications and corporate affairs expert, and a former Fulbright Scholar. He was South Africa's Shadow Minister of Presidency,[1] and a Member of Parliament for the opposition Democratic Alliance.[2] From 2009 to 2012, he was the Shadow Minister of Energy.

Motau is a former journalist with the Pretoria News and The Star, and holds undergraduate and honours degrees from the University of South Africa, and a master's degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley.[3]

Motau has worked as divisional manager of corporate affairs at Mercedes-Benz South Africa, and as head of corporate affairs at Transnet and Sasol.[3] He worked as an independent communications consultant prior to joining the Democratic Alliance.[3]

Motau left parliament at the 2019 general election.[4]

Early life

Sejamothopo Motau was born in Lady Selborne, Pretoria, on 18 July 1943. He started his working career as a book-keeper with the City Council of Pretoria in Atteridgeville, his current constituency.

Education

A Fulbright scholar, Motau holds a Master of Journalism degree from the University of California, Berkeley, a BA (Hons) degree in communication and a BA degree in communication and psychology from the University of South Africa.[5]

Early career

A former journalist, he has worked for the Pretoria News, where his beats were education, labour and politics, the hot topics of the day. He then joined the Africa Edition of The Star, covering southern African politics. That sharpened his keen interest in politics but he did not become a member of any political party until he joined the DA in 2008, after which he was made him Shadow minister of Energy in 2009. His diverse work experience has given him a keen sense of what is going on within South Africa and makes him able to point out corruption within Eskom, the state-owned energy provider of South Africa.[6]

A former chairman and director of various companies, Motau has held several senior management positions in some of the biggest corporations in South Africa, including Anglo American Corporation, De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited, Transnet Limited, Sasol Limited and Mercedes-Benz South Africa. During his time at De Beers he was seconded to the company's marketing arm in London, the Diamond Trading Company, where his brief was the United States of America.[7]

Motau is ambassador-at-large and former president of PRISA, the Institute for Public Relations and Communication Management in Southern Africa, and former chairman of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.

An accomplished public speaker, he has presented papers at conferences and conducted workshops, mainly in public relations and communication in South Africa other parts of Africa and the world.

Personal life

He is married to Ngoatladi, and has three children and four grandchildren.

References

  1. Web site: DA shadow cabinet - full list of names. Politicsweb.
  2. Web site: National List MPs. 22 April 2009. elections.org. PDF.
  3. Web site: Sej Motau.
  4. Web site: Mr Sejamotopo Charles Motau . People's Assembly . 22 March 2021.
  5. Web site: Sejamothopo Motau. Who's Who Southern Africa.
  6. Web site: DA: Statement by Sej Motau, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of energy, on Eskom executives salaries. Polity. 28 June 2011.
  7. Web site: Sej DA page.