Mr Francois Adrianus Rodgers is the MEC for Finance in KwaZulu-Natal effective from 18 June 2024.
Mr Rodgers was born in Pietermaritzburg on 10 September 1961. He studied at Cowan House and Pietermaritzburg Boys College. He joined the Receiver of Revenue and was appointed to the team that commenced with the implementation of Sales Tax and PAYE Auditing and Investigations.
Mr Rodgers moved to Kokstad in 1986 to start his own business and has been involved in various business ventures since then, from the hospitality and retail trade to property development.
His community involvement is an unrivalled distinction, having served as Chairperson of the Kokstad Child and Family Welfare; Usher Memorial Hospital; Holy Cross Pre-Primary and St Patricks College, where he was instrumental in establishing Kokstad's prestigious independent school.
He was also instrumental in reviving the Kokstad Music and Drama society, producing and acting in numerous productions.
Mr Rodgers was also a founder member and President of the Kokstad Business Chamber for two years.
He became a Democratic Alliance Councillor in Kokstad in 1994, having chaired Finance, Planning and Development, Audit, Governance, Water Crisis Committees and an Executive Member during these 19 years.
In 2011, at the inaugural meeting of ADAC in KZN Mr Rodgers was elected as Chairperson of ADAC.
In 2012, Mr Rodgers was appointed to represent KZN in the National Assembly as Deputy Shadow Minister for Water and Environmental Affairs.
He was elected the Deputy Leader of the Democratic Alliance in KZN.
He also served as a member of the KZN Legislature, serving as spokesperson on Finance and SCOPA.
At a DA Provincial Council in 2015, he was elected as Provincial Finance Chairman.
He was also elected to lead the DA Caucus in the KZN Legislature and subsequently was the Leader of the opposition, his portfolios included Finance, Premier and Royal Household.
In 2018, he was elected as Provincial Chairperson of the DA in KZN. He later became the Chief Whip of the opposition in the KZN Legislature.
In 2020, he was elected as the DA Caucus Leader and the party's Provincial Leader in 2021.
He is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Public Governance at Wits University.
Mr Rodgers is married to Rita and has two daughters, Natalie and Hayley.
