Krister Janse Van Rensburg

Deputy General Secretary, FEDUSA

Krister was born in 1974 in Potchefstroom (a university town about 1.5 hours from Johannesburg). Apart from two years spent in Frankfort (Eastern Free State), he received all his schooling in Potchefstroom, and continued to study at the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education.

After two stays in England and Scotland (1994 and 2000), as well as a period of study at the University of KZN (Social Sciences) and being the owner of a business (Cybercafe) in Durban, he returned to Potchefstroom to complete his studies (BA Private and Public Sectors). His majors were Psychology and Industrial Sociology, but he chose to specialise in Industrial Sociology and received his honours in this discipline in 2005. He is currently working on his Masters degree in the same discipline.

Early work experience was that of proof-reading, language editing, research assistance, freelance copywriting, guesthouse management, construction and nightclub security. While completing his honours degree and after getting married with Nickey in 2004, he took a job with the South African Parastatal and Tertiary Institutions Union (SAPTU) - which organised lecturers and administrative staff at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University.

In July of 2006 his first-born daughter (Kobie) arrived, and reacting to an advertisement sent by the Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA), he was appointed as Research and Development Officer in November of that year and he stayed there until February of 2009, when he joined Ditsela Workers Education Institute as Quality Assurance Officer.

He rejoined FEDUSA in 2010 as Chief Administrative Officer and was promoted to Deputy General Secretary in January of 2011.