Dr Molefi Paul Sefularo was born on 9 July 1957, in Potchefstroom, North West Province.
In addition to public health management diplomas from the University of Witwatersrand (Wits), he held a medical degree from the Medical University of South Africa (Medunsa) and an MBA from the University of Cape Town.
Dr Sefularo began his political activism in the student movement. He was a founder member of the Azanian Students Organisation (AZASO) in 1979. He was subsequently elected Secretary in 1981. That same year he also became president of the Student Representative Council at Medunsa a post he held up to 1984. During this period he became active in the structures of the United Democratic Front (UDF) until its banning.
From 1986 to 1991 he worked as a Senior Medical Officer at Thusong Community Hospital in Itsoseng. He then worked as National National Policy Co-ordinator National Progressive PHC Network between 1992 and 1993. Sefularo also served as the Publicity and Information Secretary the African National Congress (ANC) of the Itsoseng Branch up to 1993. In addition he served as Health Desk Chair ANC in Klerksdorp in the region of the western Transvaal (now North West Province). In 1993 he began lecturing at Wits University until 1994.
After the first democratic elections in 1994, he served as an MEC for Health in the North West Province. He was also Chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). In 1999 he was re-elected as an MEC in the North West Province. He was a member of Council, the highest decision-making body at Wits, from 2005 until 2009. He supported the launch of the Wits Centre for Rural Health in 2009, opened the School of Public Health's research day and the inaugural meeting of the School's Priceless project, which explores the cost-effectiveness of health interventions.
On 25 September he was appointed as the deputy minister of health. He was a member of the 2010 Fifa World Cup medical and health services task team.
Dr Molefi Paul Sefularo died in a car accident in Pretoria, Gauteng on 5 April 2010.
• Biography of Dr. Molefi Sefularo, from the Northwest Provincial Government, [online] Available at www.nwpg.gov.za [Accessed on 16 July 2013]
• City Press, (2010), Motlanthe praises health deputy from City Press, 10 April,[online], Available at www.citypress.co.za [Accessed on 4 July 2013]
• Mclea H. & Mahlangu D. (2010), Special team to probe minister's fatal crash from Times Live, 5 April, [online], Available at www.timeslive.co.za [Accessed on 4 July 2013]