Government South Africa
Description of Work:
Tokyo was born at Shantytown, Orlando West, Soweto, Johannesburg and matriculated at Orlando West High School in 1973.
A member of the Black Consciousness Movement in the late 1960's and early 1970's he joined the African National Congress underground movement in the 1970's.
Tokyo tudied and obtained a certificate in business studies at the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland and was an active member of the ANC underground movement in Swaziland.
In 1975, Tokyo Sexwale went into exile and underwent officers' military training in the Soviet Union, specializing in army engineering. Upon his return to South Africa in 1976 he was arrested after a skirmish with the South African security forces and, together with 11 others charged with "terrorism" and "conspiracy" to overthrow the apartheid government.

He spent two years on trial at the Pretoria Supreme Court and in 1978 was convicted and sentenced to 18 years imprisonment at Robben Island maximum security prison.

While imprisoned at Robben Island he studied for a B.Comm degree.

Tokyo served 13 years at Robben Island until released in June 1990, in accordance with the Groote Schuur Agreement between the apartheid government and the ANC.

Upon his release from prison in 1990 he returned to Johannesburg and served as the head of the Public Liaison department of the African National Congress headquarters. He was subsequently appointed Head of Special Projects, under military headquarters.

In September 1990 Mr Sexwale was elected to the Executive Committee of the ANC – Gauteng province. In 1991 he was elected chairperson of the province until 1997.

From 1991 to 1997 he was an ex-officio member of the ANC National Executive Committee. He was elected first Premier of Gauteng province in the 1994 general elections.

He left public political office in 1998 for the corporate sector and established Mvelaphanda Holdings – primarily a mining and energy house including other strategic investments in hotels, transportation, telecommunications, property, engineering, health, banking and financial services.