Bushy Maape

Kaobitsa Abel Bushy Maape (born 1956 or 1957) is a South African politician and anti-apartheid activist who has been the 7th Premier of the North West and a member of the North West Provincial Legislature since September 2021. Maape is a member of the African National Congress and a former Robben Island prisoner. Early life and education Maape earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in psychology and economics from the University of South Africa which he completed while imprisoned on Robben Island. He also holds an honours degree in developmental studies and an honours degree in economics from the University of the Western Cape. He is currently studying for a Master of Management in the field of governance at the University of the Witwatersrand. Career Maape was recruited into the underground structures of the African National Congress while enrolled at the Hebron Training College. He commanded the ANC's underground Kgalagadi Machinery. He was also principal of the Kuruman Middle School. In February 1986 Maape was convicted of propagating the communist aims of the ANC, though acquitted of the main terrorism charge and imprisoned at Robben Island. He was one of the first six ANC prisoners released from Robben Island following president F.W. de Klerk's decision to release political prisoners. Maape served as chairperson of the ANC's Kgalagadi region following the end of apartheid in the 1990s. He was later the director: RDP as well as the chief director: strategic planning and development unit in the Office of the Premier of the North West. Maape served on the Ministerial Advisory Committee of the Department of Provincial and Local Government and was a member of the Municipal Demarcation Board from the North West Province.