This Day in History: September 13, 1942
Additional Date: September 13, 1942
Minister of Safety and Security of the Republic of South Africa since 7 May 2002 and current Chairperson of the South African Communist Party (SACP), Charles Nqakula, was born to a poor family in the Eastern Cape. Nqakula, like his peers, developed political consciousness in the 1970's when he became political reporter for Imvo Zabantsundu in King William's Town. He was appointed to his present position after serving for a year and a few months as deputy minister of home affairs. Nqakula caused an outrage among South Africans in June 2006 when he responded to opposition MP's in parliament (who were not satisfied that enough was being done to counter crime), when he said that South Africans who complain about the country's crime rate, "should stop whining and leave the country", though he later said that he was not reported correctly. It is generally accepted that South Africa has the second highest murder rate and the highest rape rate in the world.