Dr Pieter Groenewald was appointed as Minister of Correctional Services from 3 July 2024.
He was born on 27 August 1955 in Fochville in Gauteng. He matriculated from the Gymnasium High School in Potchefstroom in North West. He obtained a B.Iuris (Law) degree from the then Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (now North-West University) and worked at Armscor.
He later completed a postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies and his Master’s degree in Public Management and Development. He also holds a Doctorate in Political Studies from the North-West University.
Prior to being elected as a Member of Parliament in 1989, Dr Groenewald served as the Mayor of Stilfontein. In 1994 he was re-elected to Parliament where he served as the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence in the National Assembly from 1994 to 1999. In 1999 he was elected as a Member of the North West Provincial Legislature, where he served until 2001 when he returned to Parliament.
He served on the first ministerial interim National Defence Force Service Commission until 2012.
He is a founding member of the Freedom Front Plus. He previously served as the Federal Chairperson of the party. In 2016, he was elected as the National Leader and re-elected in 2021. In 2024 he was re-elected to the National Assembly.
Dr Groenewald is married and lives in Stilfontein in North West. His hobbies include karate, photography and gardening. He is the first person in South Africa to ride five horses simultaneously, known as Roman Riding.
Source: Department of Correctional Services
