Samantha Graham-Maré currently serves as South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, a position she assumed on 3 July 2024 as part of the Government of National Unity’s refreshed cabinet. Her ascent to this prominent executive office followed distinguished service as the Shadow Minister of Electricity and previously as the Shadow Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure for the Democratic Alliance (DA), reflecting her track record in portfolio leadership and policy shaping.
Recognised for her strong track record in public service and legislative leadership, she has been instrumental in driving reforms that strengthen South Africa’s energy and resource sectors while ensuring transparency and accountability.
Deputy Minister samantha graham mare’s history
Deputy Minister Graham‑Maré graduated from Rhenish Girls’ High School in 1986 and later obtained her LLB cum laude from the University of South Africa (UNISA) in 2021. She began her political journey locally, serving as a councillor and caucus leader in the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality, where she also held the portfolio chair for Corporate Services and played a leadership role on the municipal executive committee.
Elected to the National Assembly in 2019, she has since established herself as an authoritative voice on infrastructure and energy policy. Her recent appointment as Deputy Minister places her at the center of South Africa’s response to critical challenges in the power sector.
A Proactive leader and political proponent of the international commodity summit 2025
Outside her demanding public service duties, she is known for her active community involvement and personal resilience, having publicly shared her journey as a breast cancer survivor. She also contributes to local community foundations and enjoys squash, culinary arts, reading, and time with her family.
Deputy Minister Graham‑Maré will lend her insights and leadership as a speaker at the International Commodity Summit (ICS) – a platform heralded today as one of the top 10 mining and energy events in South Africa and acclaimed as the most influential commodity conference in the world. Her presence underscores the summit’s ability to attract key policymakers and reinforces its role as a nexus between government strategy and global commodities markets. It further solidifies the collective investment between the government and private sector for energy industry influencing conferences of this magnitude.
Mrs Graham-Mare is one of the most respected female politicians in South Africa, and is highly proactive in governmental and quasi-governmental conferences. As a distinguished speaker at the International Commodity Summit (ICS), she engages directly with global leaders, investors, and decision-makers to shape the dialogue around South Africa’s role in global supply chains.
The ICS, widely acknowledged as one of the top mining events in South Africa and the leading commodity conference in the world, provides the platform for senior policymakers such as the Deputy Minister to connect policy direction with market realities.
Her participation underscores both the South African government’s commitment to collaboration with industry and the pivotal role that ICS plays in bridging state, private sector, and international partners in Cape Town, a city now recognised as the hub of Africa’s most influential resource and commodity gatherings.
