Pi oph il idae ▁Category : Art icles ▁created ▁by ▁Q bug bot ▁Category : In sect s ▁described ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 8 <0x0A> </s> ▁G ift ▁van ▁St aden ▁( born ▁ 1 5 ▁July ▁ 1 9 6 2 ) ▁is ▁a ▁South ▁African ▁politician ▁who ▁serves ▁as ▁a ▁Member ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Cape ▁Provin cial ▁Legisl ature ▁for ▁the ▁African ▁National ▁Congress ▁( AN C ). ▁He ▁was ▁previously ▁the ▁provincial ▁M EC ▁for ▁Social ▁Development ▁from ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁Prior ▁to ▁serving ▁in ▁the ▁legisl ature , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁Executive ▁Mayor ▁of ▁both ▁the ▁Z F ▁M g ca w u ▁District ▁Municip ality ▁and ▁the ▁Kh ara ▁H ais ▁Local ▁Municip ality . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁former ▁business ▁associate ▁of ▁John ▁Block . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁Van ▁St aden ▁was ▁the ▁chair ▁of ▁a ▁civ ic ▁movement ▁in ▁the ▁P ries ka ▁sub - region ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁he ▁was ▁involved ▁with ▁the ▁rela unch ▁of ▁two ▁AN C ▁branches . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁AN C ' s ▁branch ▁in ▁P ries ka ▁for ▁two ▁terms . ▁ ▁Van ▁St aden ▁was ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Democratic ▁Te ach ers ▁Union ▁( S AD T U ). ▁He ▁soon ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁site ▁ste ward ▁at ▁the ▁Gar ie p ▁High ▁School ▁in