Comrade Patrick Makhafane - First Deputy President Of NEHAWU
Cde. Patrick Babsy Makhafane was born in the North West Province, a town called Lichtenburg at the developing area called Bodibe about 4 and half decades ago!
He then attended the primary education at Makgwe Primary School in Bodibe and later Diphetogo Lower Primary School in Jouberton Location in Klerksorp; later moved to Tshedisehang Public School in Kgotsong Location in Bothaville in the Free State Province where he later matriculated in 1998 in the then Dr. ML. Maile Secondary School!
Post matric he studied Labour Relations Management through UNISA and later Paralegal through Southern Business School and he continues to study through the same institution to date!
Cde. Patrick Babsy Makhafane started working for the Public Service on the 3rd February 2004 at the Provincial Laundry Services, an institution of the Department of Health in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, this institution is also a NEHAWU Branch located in Benji Olifant Region in the North West Province!
Cde. Makhafane immediately joined NEHAWU on the 3rd February 2004 upon resuming employment in the Public Service and remains a member to date!
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE UNION AND THE MDM STRUCTURES
He therefore led as the Branch Executive Committee member of the Provincial Laundry Branch and later served as its Branch Secretary. In 2005 he started working at the Tshepong Hospital and was elected as the
Branch Executive Committee member in the same Branch!
On the 26th August 2006 he was elected a Regional Secretary of Benji Olifant Region, a position he held until May 2013 (7 Years), an epoch characterised by activism and militancy; this means he served the Region in his capacity as the Regional Office Bearer and the Regional Executive Committee member for seven years and concurrently he served as the NEHAWU Central Executive Committee member since 2006 to date!
In 2013 in May he was elected a Provincial Secretary of NEHAWU in the North West Province, a position he held for eight (8) years leading to November 2021! Effectively post being elected the Provincial Secretary in North West, he concurrently served as the Provincial Executive Committee member of COSATU until November 2021! He led an era (2013 - 2021) characterised by vibrancy; militancy; membership growth and unprecedented level of campaigns in the North West Province!
By virtue of serving as the Provincial Secretary in North West, he concurrently served as the National Executive Committee (NEC) member of NEHAWU while he was already a Central Executive Committee (CEC) member of the Union! This means he served as the CEC member from 2006 to date! During his terms as the ordinary member of the National Executive Committee (NEC), he served in the NEC Sub Committees, Disciplinary Sub-Committee and Procurement Sub Committee as the ordinary Committee member to the two!
He is a member in good standing of the African National Congress serving under Ward 14 Branch in Jouberton Matlosana and similarly a member in good standing of the South African Communist Party in JB Marks District in Matlosana!
In November 2021 he was then elevated by Union members from all nine Provinces to serve as the Unions’ National Office Bearer (NOB), Second (2nd) Deputy President a term resuming immediately after the 12th National Congress right through to the next National Congress!
In June 2026 he was elevated once again to serve as the First (1st) Deputy President of NEHAWU
Cde. Patrick Babsy Makhafane subscribes to and is guided by the motto, “Unity of the Workers is the indomitable Strength of the Workers and the Working Class”
End!