Gavin Woods (1948 – 15 January 2024) was a South African politician, academic and public service activist.[1]
Life and career edit
Woods joined the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in 1984 after being recruited by Mangosuthu Buthelezi. He was a member of parliament for the party between 1994 and 2009, serving on public accounts and finance committees, including as chairperson of the standing committee, and worked with Patricia de Lille on exposing corruption in the Arms Deal.[2] Woods resigned as chairperson of the standing committee after his interventions were not taken up by the governing African National Congress (ANC).
Woods' relationship with Buthelezi came under strain when Buthelezi ordered that Woods' report on how to reverse the decline in the IFP's support be shredded, and when Buthelezi stated that Woods, who had polio as a child and had part of his leg amputated, was only an MP due to his disability. Woods left the IFP in 2005, crossing the floor to the National Democratic Convention (Nadeco).[3]
Woods later worked at Stellenbosch University as a professor of public finance and ethics, and then between 2013 and 2017 for the Public Service Commission, focusing on measures to deal with corruption, and service delivery.[2]
Woods died of cancer on 15 January 2024.[2]
References edit
- ^ Reinecke, Sophiè (October 2010). Public sector corruption : Behavioural origins and counter-behavioural responses. Stellenbosch University. ISBN 9780797212732.
- ^ a b c Ludidi, Velani (16 January 2024). "Death of former MP Gavin Woods, who probed Arms Deal corruption". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ Pressly, Donwald. "IFP's Woods joins Nadeco". News24. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
External links edit
- Interview with Gavin Woods PDF
- Public sector corruption : behavioural origins and counter-behavioural responses
  | This article about a politician from the Republic of South Africa is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |