1 2 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 9 ) ▁is ▁a ▁South ▁African ▁writer , ▁author , ▁and ▁noted ▁poet . ▁A ▁long time ▁activ ist ▁in ▁politics , ▁C ron in ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Executive ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁African ▁National ▁Congress . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Deput y ▁Minister ▁of ▁Public ▁Works ▁from ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁C ron in ▁was ▁brought ▁up ▁in ▁a ▁White ▁middle - class ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁family ▁in ▁Ron deb os ch ▁in ▁Cape ▁Town , ▁South ▁Africa . ▁During ▁ad oles c ence , ▁he ▁considered ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁entering ▁the ▁priest hood . ▁After ▁a ▁year ' s ▁military ▁service , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁cons cript ed ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Navy , ▁C ron in ▁won ▁a ▁b urs ary ▁to ▁study ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Cape ▁Town ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ; ▁there ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Rad ical ▁Student ▁Society ▁and ▁was ▁subsequently ▁rec ru ited ▁into ▁the ▁( b anned ) ▁South ▁African ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁( S AC P ). ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁C ron in ▁studied ▁for ▁his ▁Master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁Philosoph y ▁in ▁France ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁South ▁Africa , ▁where ▁he ▁began ▁lect uring ▁in ▁the ▁Philosoph y ▁department ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of