Dr Ivan Meyer is currently the Minister of Agriculture for the DA-run Western Cape Government.
He was elected DA federal chairperson at the 2023 DA Federal Congress.
Former civil servant, academic, author, poet, politician and Western Cape Leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA), Dr Ivan Meyer, was appointed in May 2014 as the Minister of Finance in the Western Cape Government. He’s also been given political responsibility for the Western Cape’s International Relations Portfolio. Prior to taking up his most recent portfolio Dr Meyer served as Minister of Finance, Minister of Social Development (2009 –August 2010) and Minister of Sport and Cultural Affairs (September 2010 – May 2014).
Minister Meyer was a Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Local Governance at the University of Stellenbosch at the time of his election to the Provincial Legislature in April 2009. Before that he served as the Chief Director: Provincial Training in the Western Cape Provincial Administration.
He holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of Stellenbosch, as well as a number of international certificates and diplomas. He’s published widely in the fields of education, housing, local government and public administration.
A firm believer in the promotion of language rights which is a founding principle of the SA Constitution, Dr Meyer is fluent in Afrikaans, English, and German. A number of his poems were published in the anthology, Teater van ‘n Velore Tyd in 2012.
While Minister Meyer would be the first one to admit that he does not get onto his bicycle enough, he does try to cycle as often as possible. His other passion is chess which he believes teaches one valuable life lessons. Staff can certainly expect to be invited to either a gentle cycle ride or a very intense game of chess.
Dr Meyer is a proponent of fiscal discipline in all spheres of government and champions the idea that public servants should create public value.