Botschafter
RAPULANE SYDNEY MOLEKANE
| DATE OF BIRTH: | 7 May 1961 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH: | Soweto, South Africa |
| MARITAL STATUS: | Married with four children |
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
| 1981 | Matriculated, Mapetla Tswana High School |
| 1982-1985 | Senior Teacher's Diploma, Soweto College of Education |
QUALIFICATIONS OBTAINED FOR NON-DEGREE PURPOSES
| 1995-1996 | Diplomatic Training, Foreign Service Institute, Department of Foreign Affairs |
| 1996 | Management Programme, Foreign Service Institute, Department of Foreign Affairs |
ACTIVISM AND LEADERSHIP
| 1980-1984 | National Team of Young Christian Students (YCS) |
| 1984-1985 | President of the Soweto Youth Congress (SOYCO) |
| 1986-1987 | Secretary-General of the Southern Transvaal Youth Congress (STYCO) |
| 1987-1990 | General-Secretary of the South African Youth Congress (SAYCO) |
| 1987-1991 | Member of the National Executive Committee of the United Democratic Front (UDF) |
| 1990-1994 | Secretary-General of the ANC Youth League and National Executive Committee Member of the ANC (ANCYL) |
CAREER
| 1994-1999 | Member of Parliament and Chairperson of Safety and Security Portfolio Committee |
| 1999 | Joined the then Department of Foreign Affairs |
| 1999-2003 | Consul-General to Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in Germany |
| 2003-2004 | Director: Nepad and African Renaissance Fund, Department of Foreign Affairs |
| 2004-2008 | South African High Commissioner to Ghana |
| 2008-2010 | Director: Levant and Middle East, Department of International Relations and Cooperation |
| 2010-2014 | Deputy Director-General: Europe, Department of International Relations and Cooperation |
| 2014-2019 | South African Ambassador to France, Monaco and Permanent Delegate of South Africa to the UNESCO |
| Currently | South African Ambassador to Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia and Permanent Representative of South Africa to the International Organisations in Vienna |
POLITICAL HISTORY
As a result of his involvement in student and youth politics, Mr Molekane was arrested while completing his final year of studies, and hence was unable to complete the diploma. On his release from detention he devoted his time as a full-time activist. He however, continued his studies at Soweto College of Education.
Mr Molekane was central to the launch of the United Democratic Front in 1983 and was detained several times including during the two State of Emergency spending almost thirty (30) months in detention without trial charges.
He was a member of the National Reception Committee that planned and welcomed the ANC leadership from prison and from exile, in the 1990's.
LANGUAGES
SeTswana, English and German (basic)