Debbie Schäfer

Deborah Anne "Debbie" Schäfer (born 18 December 1966) is a South African politician and lawyer who has been serving as the Western Cape Provincial Minister of Education since May 2014. She also serves as a Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament for the Democratic Alliance. Schäfer served as a Member of the National Assembly from May 2009 to May 2014.

Debbie Schäfer

MPP
Western Cape Provincial Minister of Education
Assumed office
26 May 2014
PremierAlan Winde
Helen Zille
Preceded byDonald Grant
Shadow Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development
In office
6 September 2010 – 6 May 2014
Preceded byNatasha Mazzone
Succeeded byWerner Horn
Shadow Deputy Minister of Police
In office
14 May 2009 – 6 September 2010
Preceded byUnknown
Succeeded byMpowele Swathe
Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament
Assumed office
21 May 2014
ConstituencyCity of Cape Town
Member of National Assembly
In office
6 May 2009 – 6 May 2014
ConstituencyWestern Cape
Personal details
Born (1966-12-18) 18 December 1966
Pietermaritzburg, Natal
Political partyDemocratic Alliance (2000–present)
Other political
affiliations		Democratic Party (1999–2000)
Spouse(s)Mark Schäfer
Alma materBergvliet High School
University of Cape Town

Early life and family

Schäfer was born on 18 December 1966 in Pietermaritzburg in the Natal Province. During her early years, her family relocated to Johannesburg, where she completed her primary school education. They later moved to Cape Town where she matriculated from Bergvliet High School in 1984.[1]

She achieved a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Psychology from the University of Cape Town and, later on, in 1990, she received an LLB degree from the same university. She is married to Mark Schäfer. They have twin daughters, who both finished high school in 2017.[2]

Schäfer practised as an attorney of the Cape High Court for twelve years before starting her political career as a ward councillor.[1]

Political career

Schäfer joined the Democratic Party in 1999.[3] In 2002, she was elected to the Cape Town City Council as the councillor for ward 62, an area that included the suburbs of Wynberg and Constantia. In the 2006 elections, she was elected the councillor for ward 73. She served in this position until her election to the National Assembly in 2009. She took office as a Member on 6 May 2009.

On 14 May 2009, the Democratic Alliance released a statement, in which Schäfer was appointed Shadow Deputy Minister of Police. Democratic Alliance Parliamentary Leader Athol Trollip reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet in September 2010 and appointed Schäfer as the Shadow Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development. She retained her position when newly elected Parliamentary Leader Lindiwe Mazibuko announced her Shadow Cabinet in February 2012. During her tenure in Parliament, she served on the Magistrates’ Commission.[4][5][6]

In 2014, she was elected to the Western Cape Provincial Parliament. She took office as a Member on 21 May 2014. Premier Helen Zille appointed Schäfer to the position of Provincial Minister of Education. She was sworn in on 26 May 2014 by Western Cape Deputy Judge President Jeanette Traverso.[7] Following her re-election in May 2019, newly elected premier Alan Winde retained Schäfer as Provincial Minister of Education.[8]

References
  1. Debbie Schäfer – Western Cape Government, AfricaCom. Retrieved on 27 August 2019
  2. Jessica, Shelver. "MEC Debbie Schäfer visits Westerford High School for matric results, 5 Jan". South African Government. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  3. Debbie Schäfer Minister of Education in the Western Cape, Western Cape Education Department. Retrieved on 25 January 2019.
  4. Trollip, Athol, Zille, Helen. DA shadow cabinet – full list of names, Politicsweb, 14 January 2009. Retrieved on 25 January 2019.
  5. DA shadow cabinet reshuffled – Athol Trollip, Politicsweb. Retrieved on 25 January 2019.
  6. The DA's new shadow cabinet – Lindiwe Mazibuko, Politicsweb. Retrieved on 25 January 2019.
  7. Premier Helen Zille Announces New Cabinet, Western Cape Government, 21 May 2014. Retrieved on 25 January 2019.
  8. Western Cape premier Alan Winde's cabinet a mix of old and new, TimesLIVE, 23 May 2019. Retrieved on 23 May 2019.
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