Sej Motau
Encyclopedia
Sejamothopo "Sej" Motau (born 20 June 1941) is a politician, journalist, communications and corporate affairs expert, and a former Fulbright Scholar. He is currently South Africa's
Shadow Minister of Energy, and a Member of Parliament
for the opposition Democratic Alliance.
Motau is a former journalist with the Pretoria News
and The Star
, and holds undergraduate and honours degrees from the University of South Africa
, and a Master's degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley
.
Motau has worked as divisional manager of corporate affairs at Mercedes-Benz South Africa
, and as head of corporate affairs at Transnet
and Sasol
. He worked as an independent communications consultant prior to joining the Democratic Alliance.
, on 18 July 1943. He started his working career as a book-keeper with the City Council of Pretoria
in Atteridgeville
, his current constituency.
; a BA (Hons) degree in communication and a BA degree in communication and psychology from the University of South Africa
.
where his beats were education, labour and politics in that order, the hot topics of the day. He then joined the Africa Edition of The Star
where he covered southern African politics. That sharpened his keen interest in politics but he did not become a member of any political party until he joined the DA
in 2008. Once he joined the DA
, they immediately put him to work and made him Shadow minister of Energy in 2009. His diverse work experience has given him a keen sense of whats going on within South Africa and makes him able to point-out corruption within Eskom
, the state-owned energy provider of South Africa.
A former chairman and director of various companies, Sej has held several senior management positions in some of the biggest corporations in South Africa, including Anglo American Corporation, De Beers
Consolidated Mines Limited, Transnet Limited, Sasol
Limited and Mercedes Benz South Africa. During his time at De Beers
he was seconded to the company's marketing arm in London
, the Diamond Trading Company
, where his brief was the United States of America.
Sej is ambassador-at-large and former president of PRISA, the Institute for Public Relations and Communication Management in Southern Africa and former chairman of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.
An accomplished public speaker, Sej has presented papers at conferences and conducted workshops, mainly in public relations and communication in South Africa
other parts of Africa and the world.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
Shadow Minister of Energy, and a Member of Parliament
Parliament of South Africa
The Parliament of South Africa is South Africa's legislature and under the country's current Constitution is composed of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces....
for the opposition Democratic Alliance.
Motau is a former journalist with the Pretoria News
Pretoria News
Pretoria News is a daily newspaper based in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa....
and The Star
The Star (South Africa)
The Star is a daily newspaper based in Gauteng, South Africa. It has a readership of 840 000 and is owned by Independent News & Media. It gained worldwide attention in 2006 when it published survey results according to which about twenty percent of South African men have raped a woman in...
, and holds undergraduate and honours degrees from the University of South Africa
University of South Africa
The University of South Africa is a distance education university, with headquarters in Pretoria, South Africa. With approximately 300 000 enrolled students, it qualifies as one of the world's mega universities.-History:...
, and a Master's degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
Motau has worked as divisional manager of corporate affairs at Mercedes-Benz South Africa
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
, and as head of corporate affairs at Transnet
Transnet
Transnet SOC Ltd is a large South African rail, port and pipeline company, headquartered in the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg. It was formed as a limited company on April 1, 1990. A majority of the company's stock is owned by the Department of Public Enterprises, or DPE, of the South African...
and Sasol
Sasol
Sasol Ltd. is a South African company involved in mining, energy, chemicals and synfuels. In particular, they produce petrol and diesel profitably from coal and natural gas using Fischer-Tropsch process...
. He worked as an independent communications consultant prior to joining the Democratic Alliance.
Early Life
Sej was born in Lady Selborne, PretoriaPretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, on 18 July 1943. He started his working career as a book-keeper with the City Council of Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
in Atteridgeville
Atteridgeville
Atteridgeville, part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, is a township located on the west of Pretoria, South Africa. It is bordered to the west by Saulsville, to the east by Proclamation Hill; to the south by Laudium and to the north by Lotus Gardens.-History:Atteridgeville was...
, his current constituency.
Education
A Fulbright scholar. Sej holds a Master of Journalism degree from the University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
; a BA (Hons) degree in communication and a BA degree in communication and psychology from the University of South Africa
University of South Africa
The University of South Africa is a distance education university, with headquarters in Pretoria, South Africa. With approximately 300 000 enrolled students, it qualifies as one of the world's mega universities.-History:...
.
Early Career
A former journalist, he has worked for the Pretoria NewsPretoria News
Pretoria News is a daily newspaper based in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa....
where his beats were education, labour and politics in that order, the hot topics of the day. He then joined the Africa Edition of The Star
The Star
The Star may refer to:* The Star , a 2002 Russian film* The Star , a 1952 Bette Davis film* The Star , a casino in Sydney, Australia* The Star , a Thai singing competition reality television show....
where he covered southern African politics. That sharpened his keen interest in politics but he did not become a member of any political party until he joined the DA
DA
DA, da, or dA may refer to:* Da , a Tony-winning play by Hugh Leonard* Da , a movie adaptation of the play by Hugh Leonard* Adi Da, a spiritual leader once known as Da Free John, and Da Love-Ananda...
in 2008. Once he joined the DA
DA
DA, da, or dA may refer to:* Da , a Tony-winning play by Hugh Leonard* Da , a movie adaptation of the play by Hugh Leonard* Adi Da, a spiritual leader once known as Da Free John, and Da Love-Ananda...
, they immediately put him to work and made him Shadow minister of Energy in 2009. His diverse work experience has given him a keen sense of whats going on within South Africa and makes him able to point-out corruption within Eskom
Eskom
Eskom is a South African electricity public utility, established in 1923 as the Electricity Supply Commission by the government of South Africa in terms of the Electricity Act . It was also known by its Afrikaans name Elektrisiteitsvoorsieningskommissie . The two acronyms were combined in 1986 and...
, the state-owned energy provider of South Africa.
A former chairman and director of various companies, Sej has held several senior management positions in some of the biggest corporations in South Africa, including Anglo American Corporation, De Beers
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
Consolidated Mines Limited, Transnet Limited, Sasol
Sasol
Sasol Ltd. is a South African company involved in mining, energy, chemicals and synfuels. In particular, they produce petrol and diesel profitably from coal and natural gas using Fischer-Tropsch process...
Limited and Mercedes Benz South Africa. During his time at De Beers
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
he was seconded to the company's marketing arm in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the Diamond Trading Company
Diamond Trading Company
The Diamond Trading Company is the rough diamond sales and distribution arm of the De Beers Family of Companies. The DTC sorts, values and sells approximately 75% of the world’s rough diamonds by value...
, where his brief was the United States of America.
Sej is ambassador-at-large and former president of PRISA, the Institute for Public Relations and Communication Management in Southern Africa and former chairman of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.
An accomplished public speaker, Sej has presented papers at conferences and conducted workshops, mainly in public relations and communication in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
other parts of Africa and the world.