The new Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations, Jerry Matthews Matjila, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 5 July 2016.
From 2011 until his latest appointment, Mr. Matjila was the Director-General (Permanent Secretary) of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation. He was previously Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva from 2010 to 2011, serving concurrently as Consul-General to the French-speaking cantons of Switzerland.
Mr. Matjila was Deputy Director-General of the Asia and Middle East Branch in the Department of International Relations and Cooperation from 1999 – 2001 and also from 2006 and 2010. He was Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Community from 2001 to 2006.
He was the first High Commissioner of South Africa to India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Nepal from 1995 and 1999, having joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1994.
Mr. Matjila was educated in France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Norway and Germany.
Born on 14 July 1952, he is married.