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10 June 2023

Council of Ministers

Constitution and Mandate

The SACU Council of Ministers is the supreme decision making authority on all SACU matters. It consists of at least one Minister from each Member State and is responsible for the overall policy direction and functioning of SACU institutions, including the formulation of policy mandates, procedures and guidelines for these Institutions. Amongst others, the Council shall appoint an Executive Secretary of SACU, and the members of the SACU Tariff Board. The Council of Ministers in addition approves the budget of the Secretariat, the Tariff Board and the Tribunal.

The Council has to oversee the implementation of the policies of SACU and approves customs tariffs, rebates, refunds or drawbacks and trade related remedies, upon recommendation from the Tariff Board. The Council also has the authority to create additional Technical Liaison Committees and other additional Institutions and to determine and alter their terms of reference. The Chair of the Council is held in turn by each Member State for a period of twelve months in the order to be decided by the Council.

The Chairperson of the SACU Council of Ministers

The current Chairman of the SACU Council of Ministers is Honourable Neal Rijkenberg, Minister of Finance of the Kingdom of Eswatini, as from 15 July 2022.

The SACU Rules of Procedure make provision for the Chairmanship of Council to be held in turn by each Member State in alphabetical order (Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa) for a period of twelve (12) calendar months, commencing on the 15th July of a given year.

The 15th July is the day in which the SACU Agreement, 2002 entered into force.

The Chairmanship of SACU since the signing of the SACU Agreement, 2002 which came into force on the 15th July 2004 is as outlined below:

15 July 2022 Eswatini Mr. Neal Rijkenberg
15 July 2021 Botswana Ms. Peggy Serame
15 July 2020 South Africa Mr. Tito Mboweni
15 July 2019 Namibia Mr. Calle Schlettwein
15 July 2018 Lesotho Dr Moeketsi Majoro
15 July 2017 Botswana Mr Kenneth O. Matambo
15 July 2016 Swaziland Mr Martin G Dlamini
February 2016 South Africa Mr Pravin Gordhan
July 2015 South Africa Mr Nhlanhla Nene
March 2015 Namibia Mr Calle Schlettwein
July 2012 Botswana Mr Ontefetse K. Matambo
July 2011 Swaziland Mr Majozi Sithole
July 2010 South Africa Mr Pravin Gordhan
July 2009 Namibia Ms Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila
July 2008 Lesotho Dr Timothy Thahane
July 2007 Botswana Mr Baledzi Gaolathe
July 2006 Swaziland Mr Majozi Sithole
July 2005 South Africa Mr Trevor Manuel
July 2004 Namibia Ms Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila