Charles Nqakula started his career as a journalist, covering political news from 1966 to 1982. He began his political career as a Publicity Secretary for the United Democratic Front (1983) and joined the South African Communist Party in 1991 and was appointed as a MP and Member of the National Executive Committee for the ANC in 1994. He was selected as a Parliamentary Councilor for the Office of the President in 1999 and became a Deputy Minister for the Department of Home Affairs in 2001. In 2002 he became the Minister for Safety and Security and thereafter the Minister of Defense (2008-2009). He has been the National Chairman for the South African Communist Party since 1999; Political Advisory to the Presidency since 2009; and the High Commissioner for the Republic of Mozambique since May 2012.
He has just published his book, The People’s War: Reflections of an ANC Cadre.
