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Johannesburg
7 - 10 August 2008
Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, MP

Biography

The opening speaker at the 2008 World TA Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, 7-10 August, will be Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge. A member of parliament (MP) of the Republic of South Africa, she was elected in 1994 when South Africans of all races voted for the first time in nonracial, democratic national elections and set up a government of the people led by President Nelson Mandela. After her election, Madlala-Routledge helped to set up the Parliamentary Women's Group (PWG), a multiparty women's caucus that lobbies Parliament on women's rights. She chaired the PWG and the African National Congress (ANC) Parliamentary Women's Caucus and served on the Portfolio Committee on Land Affairs, which oversaw the legislation on land reform, post apartheid. Madlala-Routledge led the delegation when South Africa was admitted to the Inter Parliamentary Union and was elected Vice President of the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians.

In 1999 Madlala-Routledge was appointed into the Executive as Deputy Minister of Defence for the South African government. There she was responsible for the transformation of the South African National Defence Force and its HIV/AIDS program. As Deputy Minister of Defence she gave political support to a project aimed at the provision of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in the military. The project was the first such project to look at providing a research-based provision of ARVs for the South African National Defence Force. This research assisted the South African government's program on the roll-out of treatment to HIV/AIDS patients through the public health sector. She also initiated the African Women's Peace Table, which looked at how women understand peace and their role in peacemaking. She pioneered the concept of developmental peacekeeping, which looks at the role of the military and civil society in developing infrastructure with former combatants and internally displaced people while peacekeeping is in progress.

In 2004, Madlala-Routledge was reelected as an MP and appointed as Deputy Minister of Health. She was outspoken about the need for the health system to respond to the health challenges facing South Africa, particularly in the face of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. She worked closely with civil society organizations and health professionals to promote the scientific approach to dealing with HIV/AIDS and in campaigning for treatment for AIDS patients.

Madlala-Routledge was dismissed from her post as Deputy Minister for Health by SA President Mbeki on 8 August 2007 following an 'unauthorized trip' to an AIDS Vaccine Conference in Spain and her speaking out about poor conditions at Frere Maternity Hospital, after her unannounced visit following exposure by the Daily Dispatch of a high number of baby deaths. There was a public outcry at her dismissal, which was reported in local and international media. There was also considerable public support for her integrity and position on HIV/AIDS.

During the era of apartheid in South Africa, Madlala-Routledge was active in student politics, through the South African Students Organisation (SASO), which was founded by Steve Biko. She was a founder and chairperson of the Natal Organization of Women, a member of the underground structures of the ANC and SACP, a regional leader of the United Democratic Front (UDF), a delegate at CODESA 1 and 2 (an all-party negotiating forum for South Africa's transition from apartheid rule), and managing secretary of the Transitional Executive Council Sub-Council on the Status of Women. She serves on the National Executive of the ANC.

Richard Erskine, PhD TSTA (P)



"The Culture of Transactional Analysis: Theory, Methods and Evolving Patterns"

Biography

Richard G. Erskine, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and the Training Director at the Institute for Integrative Psychotherapy in New York City from where he conducts numerous training programs, seminars and workshops in several countries. He has published over 35 articles in the Transactional Analysis Journal and twice has been the co-recipent of the Eric Berne Award. He is well known for his development of an Integrative Transactional Analysis. He is co-author with Janet Moursund of "Integrative Psychotherapy: The Art and Science of Relationship" (2004), "Beyond Empathy: A Therapy of Contact in Relationship with Janet Moursund and Rebecca Trautmann (1999), and "Integrative Psychotherapy in Action" with Janet Moursund (1988/1998). A collection of his early writings on Transactional Analysis are in the book "Theories and Methods on an Integrative Transactional Analysis" (TA Press, 1997).

David Best, PhD FIM FRSA MIoD



"Leadership and Ego States; prodigy or pathology? A cross cultural perspective".

Biography

David is a highly experienced Senior Manager and Consultant with wide and deep experience of managing and advising on complex IT Environments, in both regulated and non regulated environments, as well as in the areas of Executive Coaching and Development. He is uniquely qualified through having managed both private and public sector programmes and projects that cross functional and organisational, and Geographical boundaries, or where a complex high value project needs to be managed to completion in difficult organisational environments. He has also trained as a Gestalt therapist, as well as in Integrative Psychotherapy and works with individual clients in therapeutic and coaching contexts. He brings these skills to bear in his work in organisations, working across the boundaries of Strategy, IT, organisational effectiveness and personal development. After an early career as a professional Geologist for the British Geological Survey, David gained a Masters and Doctorate in Operations Research and Cybernetics, before holding management roles in export and consulting organisations. He was partner in Deloitte Consulting for almost 10 years and now works independently as Trusted Adviser, Programme Director and Expert Witness.

A specialist in knowledge and information management, David is respected in the external market and has written a number of publications, including 'The Fourth Resource: Information and its Management', published by ASLIB/Gower in 1997, and the general management guide for the ISO standard 15489:2001 the International Standard in Record Management. He has a PhD in Cybernetics, specialising in Control and Communication. David is known for his charismatic but forthright managerial style which achieves results in highly complex organisational environments. He has worked in sectors as diverse as Local Government, Central Government, Mining, Pharmaceuticals, High Technology; Oil and Gas, Museums and the Arts, and Financial Services.

Pearl Drego, PhD TSTA (P)



"Bonding the Ethnic Child with the Universal Parent in Love and Protection: the strategies of a TA Eco-community Activist"

Biography

Pearl Drego comes from the city of Bombay in India and received her M.A. in Philosophy and Ph D in Sociolgy from Bombay University. She holds a diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the Christian Counselling Centre, Vellore and is a Clinical TSTA of ITAA, WPATA and TASI since 1981. She uses TA skills and strategies especially for children, families and disadvantaged communities. She has served as a member of the ITAA Board of Trustees, the Board of Certification, and as Chairperson of the Social Action committee.

Pearl has continuously reworked the theories and concepts of transactional analysis so that they can be applied to justice issues such as marginalization, social exclusion and psycho-social oppression. In April 1991 Pearl was one among the nine alumnae of Sophia College, Bombay, who received the college the Golden Jubilee Felicitation Award for achievements in professional and educational service. In 1993 Pearl received the Hedges Capers Humanitarian award and in 2004, the Eric Berne Memorial Award. Her books for children, "Happy Family" or "Talk to me Mum and Dad", "The Illumined Child Ð An Indian study of ego states" and "Building Family Unity through Permission Rituals" are popular in schools and counseling centres.

Together with Oswald Summerton, Pearl has co-founded TACET (the Transactional Analytic Centre for Education, Research and Training) which includes a distress centre for people in need, especially for women in crisis.