George Lekgetho
George Lekgetho | |
|---|---|
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 2 September 2005 – 6 May 2014 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 June 1957 |
| Citizenship | South Africa |
| Political party | African National Congress |
George Lekgetho (born 27 June 1957)[1] is a South African politician who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly from September 2005 to May 2014.
Legislative career: 2005–2014
Lekgetho was sworn in to the National Assembly on 2 September 2005, filling the casual vacancy arising from the resignation of former Deputy President Jacob Zuma.[2][3] He was elected to a full term in the assembly in the 2009 general election and served until 2014.[4]
Lekgetho was a member of the Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture during South Africa's preparations for hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In January 2008, he was among the first public figures to suggest that prostitution should be legalised during the tournament.[5][6] Though his suggestion was laughed off by other committee members,[7] the idea later gained ground and was seriously debated by policymakers.[6] However, Lekgetho issued a formal apology for the manner in which he had argued for legalisation – he had said that, in addition to boosting tax revenue, legalisation could reduce the incidence of rape "because we hear of many rapes, because people don't have access to them [women]".[8]
References
- ^ "2009 National and Provincial Election – Final Candidate Lists" (PDF). Electoral Commission of South Africa. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ "Lekgetho sworn in as Zuma's replacement". IOL. 15 September 2005. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ "National Assembly Members". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. 15 January 2009. Archived from the original on 14 May 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
- ^ "George Lekgetho". People's Assembly. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ^ "Arts committee hears call to legalise prostitution for 2010". The Mail & Guardian. 29 January 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ^ a b Hunter, Katie (16 July 2008). "Plans to legalize prostitution in South Africa gain ground, critics". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ^ "'Legalise sex work and tax it'". Sowetan. 30 January 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ^ "ANC MP apologises to women". News24. 2 February 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
External links
- Mr George Lekgetho at People's Assembly