Lynne Brown

Lynne Brown (born 26 September 1961) is the Minister of Public Enterprises and former Premier of the Western Cape province in South Africa. She was born in Cape Town and grew up in Mitchell's Plain. She was appointed Premier of the Western Cape following the resignation of Ebrahim Rasool in July 2008. Previously, she was Minister for Economic Development and Tourism. She is a member of the African National Congress and elected member of its National Executive Committee in 2007 and 2012. Like her predecessor Ebrahim Rasool she is also from a coloured background. She is the fourth coloured premier of the Western Cape, and the second from the African National Congress, and is believed the first openly gay person to be appointed to a cabinet post in any African government.

Political career

Brown was chairperson of the Mitchell's Plain Youth Congress in 1979 and a member of the United Women's Organisation from 1979 to 1985. She was a member of the United Women's Congress from 1985 to 1990, serving first as Education Officer and then as Provincial Secretary. She was involved in the United Democratic Front from its formation in 1983 until its disbandment, serving as a member of its Finance Committee.