Positions last held in government

Dr Jean Swanson-Jacobs was a Deputy Minister of Social Development in the Republic of South Africa from 29 April 2004 until 10 May 2009.

She also served in Education, Arts and Culture and Quality of Life and Status of Women Portfolio Committees, from 1997to 1999; member of Trade and Industry Portfolio Committee from 1999 to 2002; a member of Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises from 2002 to 2004 and she served in both Joint Rules Committee and Language Policy Committee.

Academic Qualifications

Dr Swanson-Jacobs holds a Bachelor of Science from University of North East London 1980; a Master of Science degree from University of Cape Town 1984 and a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Psychology from University of the Western Cape 1996.

Career/Positions/Memberships/Other Activities

Dr Swanson-Jacobs wa a member of United Women's Congress (UWCO) of Surrey Estate Branch in 1980's and participated in FEDSAW Cultural Rallies from 1986 to 1988. She was a member of Musical Action for People's Power (MAPP); and a member of University of the Western Cape (UWC) Action Committee.

She was expelled from the University of the Western Cape for political activities in 1973 and she fled to London to avoid subpoena to be state witness in the trial of Sach Cooper and 12 others for 'terrorist activities', returned in 1980. She served on executives of Bellville African National Congress (ANC) branch, ANC Northern Suburbs Regional Executive and ANC Western Cape Province from 1990 to 1995.

She served in Culture Policy Development Committees within the ANC and Co-ordinated Western Cape Language Policy Development Committee from 1988 until 1992. She was the first Chairperson of University of the Western Cape Association of Democratic Educators (UWCADE) in 1980's and she was a member of UWC Appointments Committee later elected as a member of UWC Senate. She was first elected Head of Department for Psychology and a member of UWC Transformation Forum in  1986 and she served until 1996.

Dr Swanson-Jacobs worked as a Senior lecturer in Social Psychology at University of Western Cape and she became a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly in 1997 and she served until 2004.

Research/Presentations/Awards/Decorations/Bursaries and Publications

Dr Jean Swanson-Jacobs obtained a Doctor of Philosophy, Thesis: 'Ethnolinguistic Vitality and theDevelopment of Trilingualism in the Western Cape' and 'Language and the struggle for racial equality in the development of a non-racial South African nation' in African Languages, Development and the State in 1994.