and the first woman to be head of state of South Africa since Elizabeth II's reign as Queen of South Africa in 1961. Offices held Minister of Communications in the South African Government from June 1999 to April 2009 Member of Parliament in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2009 Premier of the Free State from 1996 to 1999; first female premier Chairperson of Sentech, the first black person and woman Chairperson of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC); the first female and black chairperson Lecturer at Rutgers University Associate professor at Rutgers University Senior lecturer and registrar at the United Nations Institute for Namibia Director for Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Death She died of natural causes on 6 April 2009 during her term in office as the Minister of Communications. References External links Matsepe-Casaburri dies in hospital – Obituary |- |- 1937 births 2009 deaths 20th-century South African women politicians 20th-century South African politicians African National Congress politicians Communications ministers of South Africa Women heads of government of non-sovereign entities Members of the National Assembly of South Africa Premiers of the Free State (province) Rutgers University alumni University of Fort Hare alumni Women government ministers of South Africa Members of the Free State Provincial Legislature