Biography of Patricia de Lille
Patricia de Lille has been involved in politics for the last quarter of a century. It was her employment as a laboratory technician in the paint industry in Cape Town that initially led to her becoming involved in the South African Chemical Workers Union where she was elected as a National Executive Member in 1983.
Her election as National Vice-President of the National Council of
Trade Unions (NACTU) in 1988 saw her occupy the highest position for a
woman in the trade union movement.
In 1994 she led a delegation in the constitutional negotiations that preceded South Africa's first democratic election in 1994.
In Parliament she was appointed Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport from 1994 – 1999. She served on various portfolio Committees including Health, Minerals and Energy, Trade and Industry, Communications, the Rules Committee and the Code of Ethics.
Patricia is outspoken on other sensitive issues including corruption, HIV/AIDS, women and child abuse, children in prison, xenophobia and poverty. She was recently awarded the HIV/AIDS Activist Award from a Canadian based organization.
• The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund
• The Helen Suzman Foundation
• St Josephs Home for chronically sick children
Other positions:
• Nazareth House for HIV/Aids Children as a Patron
• Age-in-Action for which she is a Patron
• As a Trustee: African Monitor (African voices for Africa’s development).
• Ex-Chancellor of the Durban University of Technology
Towards the end of 1999, the South African Government signed contracts totaling US$4,8 billion [R30 billion in 1999 SA rands] to modernise its defense equipment, which included the purchase of corvettes, submarines, light utility helicopters, lead-in fighter trainers and advanced light fighter aircraft.
Patricia was the whistle blower that exposed corruption in the arms procurement package. So far the expose led to two successful prosecutions and the trial of the fired deputy President of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma.
In 2004 she was awarded the honour of being one of the Top 5 Women in Government and Government Agencies.
Her leadership skills and qualities were again recognized when she was awarded the 2004 Old Mutual South African Leadership Award in the Category of Woman Leadership, as the first South African woman to form a political party of her own, campaign and win seats in the provincial and national parliaments and local government.
In July 2006 she was the first woman to be recognised as an Honorary Colonel in the South African National Defence Force.
In August 2006 she received the City Press and Rapport Newspaper award as one of top 10 women in South Africa.
At the invitation of Mr. Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the UN, Ms de Lille was the only South African Member of Parliament who attended the United Nations Millennium Project hosted by the Earth Institute at Columbia University. This high level meeting was convened on 17 September 2006 in New York.
In 1994 she led a delegation in the constitutional negotiations that preceded South Africa's first democratic election in 1994.
In Parliament she was appointed Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport from 1994 – 1999. She served on various portfolio Committees including Health, Minerals and Energy, Trade and Industry, Communications, the Rules Committee and the Code of Ethics.
Patricia is outspoken on other sensitive issues including corruption, HIV/AIDS, women and child abuse, children in prison, xenophobia and poverty. She was recently awarded the HIV/AIDS Activist Award from a Canadian based organization.
Organisational involvement
Patricia serves on the boards of the following organisations:• The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund
• The Helen Suzman Foundation
• St Josephs Home for chronically sick children
Other positions:
• Nazareth House for HIV/Aids Children as a Patron
• Age-in-Action for which she is a Patron
• As a Trustee: African Monitor (African voices for Africa’s development).
• Ex-Chancellor of the Durban University of Technology
Corruption and the Arms Deal
Patricia is a member of both the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption and the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption.Towards the end of 1999, the South African Government signed contracts totaling US$4,8 billion [R30 billion in 1999 SA rands] to modernise its defense equipment, which included the purchase of corvettes, submarines, light utility helicopters, lead-in fighter trainers and advanced light fighter aircraft.
Patricia was the whistle blower that exposed corruption in the arms procurement package. So far the expose led to two successful prosecutions and the trial of the fired deputy President of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma.
Awards and recognition
She was awarded the Freedom of the City of Birmingham, Alabama, USA.In 2004 she was awarded the honour of being one of the Top 5 Women in Government and Government Agencies.
Her leadership skills and qualities were again recognized when she was awarded the 2004 Old Mutual South African Leadership Award in the Category of Woman Leadership, as the first South African woman to form a political party of her own, campaign and win seats in the provincial and national parliaments and local government.
In July 2006 she was the first woman to be recognised as an Honorary Colonel in the South African National Defence Force.
In August 2006 she received the City Press and Rapport Newspaper award as one of top 10 women in South Africa.
At the invitation of Mr. Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the UN, Ms de Lille was the only South African Member of Parliament who attended the United Nations Millennium Project hosted by the Earth Institute at Columbia University. This high level meeting was convened on 17 September 2006 in New York.
