Ignatius "Nash" Jacobs was a South African politician and strategist who served in the Executive Council of Gauteng, including as Member of the Executive Council for Education from 1999 to 2004 and as MEC for Public Transport, Roads and Works from 2004 to 2009.
10 Facts About Ignatius Jacobs
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Ignatius Jacobs grew up in Riverlea, a township near Langlaagte in the former Transvaal that was designated for Coloureds under apartheid.
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Ignatius Jacobs became an underground operative of Umkhonto weSizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress.
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Ignatius Jacobs was a member of the provincial leadership of the South African Communist Party in Gauteng.
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In South Africa's first post-apartheid elections in 1994, Jacobs was elected to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
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Ignatius Jacobs held that portfolio throughout Shilowa's first term in office, from 1999 to 2004, and then served as MEC for Public Transport, Roads and Works during Shilowa's second term from 2004 to 2008.
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Ignatius Jacobs was retained in the latter position during Paul Mashatile's brief stint as Premier in 2008 to 2009.
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Also during this period, Ignatius Jacobs was a member of the inaugural board of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, then chaired by Cyril Ramaphosa.
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Ignatius Jacobs was married to Amelia, whom he met in primary school, and had three children and one grandchild born shortly before his death.
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Ignatius Jacobs died of related illness on 1 April 2020.