Joemat-Pettersson was active in politics from a young age as a political and labour activist while a student. She campaigned for the African National Congress in the new Northern Cape Province in the first democratic elections in April 1994 and was elected to the province's Legislature where she became a member of it cabinet as MEC for Education, Arts and Culture. At the time she was only 30 years old. She continued to serve as Education MEC for ten years and after 2004 was moved to the portfolio of Agriculture where she continued to serve as an MEC until May 2009 when she moved to the national parliament becoming Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. In May 2014 was appointed to the energy portfolio. She resigned from Parliament effective 31 March 2017, due to a cabinet reshuffle where she was replaced by Minister Mmamoloko “Nkhensani” Kubayi. She was the third fired cabinet minister to resign, after Dipuo Peters and former finance deputy minister Mcebisi Jonas. In December 2017, Joemat-Pettersson was reelected to the African National Congress' 80 member National Executive Committee and in January 2018 the NEC elected her to the party's 20 member National Working Committee.
Controversy
Joemat-Pettersson was found guilty twice by the Public Protector once in 2012: for "However, Minister Joemat-Pettersson’s defence of ignorance of the costs involved, though accepted, is a cause for serious concern as she displayed a blank cheque attitude towards public funds. Her failure to concern herself with the prudent use of public funds in connection with her accommodation expenses in the said two instances failed to meet the requirements of paragraph 2 of the Executive Ethics Code read with Section 96 of the Constitution, which required of her to act in good faith, with integrity and in the best interest of good governance. Therefore, the conclusion that her conduct amounted to reckless use of public funds, was improper and unethical is accordingly justified." and a second time in 2014 in that 10.7 Regarding Minister Joemat-Pettersson’s rejection of the request to defer her planned abrupt handover to the SA Navy an imprudent act which resulted in lack of proper patrols and alleged deterioration of patrol vessels amounting to millions of Rand in refurbishment costs and that this amounts to fruitless and wasteful expenditure and accordingly, improper conduct and maladministration, I intend to find that: 10.7.1 The Minister’s rejection of a request to defer her planned abrupt handover to the SA Navy which led to alleged lack of patrols and deterioration of patrol vessels was imprudent and led to fruitless and wasteful expenditure and; 10.7.2 The actions of the Minister constitute improper conduct and maladministration. with remedial action suggested to 11.2.1 The President 11.2.1.1To consider taking disciplinary action against the Minister for her reckless dealing with state money and services resulting in fruitless and wasteful expenditure, loss of confidence in the fisheries industry in SA and alleged decimation of fisheries resources in SA and delayed quota allocations due to lack of appropriate research. These were major findings by the Public Protector after a complaint was received from The Democratic AllianceMember of ParliamentPieter van Dalen. The Public Protector is a duly appointed Chapter 9 institution which has the power to investigate and make finding against the Executive government of Republic of South Africa. To date she has not answered to them.
Personal life
Joemat-Pettersson was married to Swedish businessman Thorvald Pettersson, who died in 2006. Together they had two sons, Austin and Terrence.
Offices held
MEC for Education, Northern Cape Province, 1994–2009
