One of the surprise appointments in President Thabo Mbeki's cabinet was that of his former parliamentary counsellor, Sue van der Merwe.
She is set to become a new face of South Africa on its expanding diplomatic stage as a new deputy foreign affairs minister alongside Aziz Pahad.
Van der Merwe's mother, Betty-Ann Young, was an American diplomat in South Africa when her parents met, an unusual career for women in those days.
But it provided a firm foundation from which she can now launch into the tricky terrain of foreign relations.
The race to the top has been fast for this single mother of two, who only became an MP in 1996.
When Mbeki chose her as his parliamentary counsellor in 2001, everybody knew he was scouting for the most hard-working person among the African National Congress MPs.
But she did not expect the honour. "Not in a million years," she said, in an interview at the time.
"If you ever asked me what I thought what was the least likely job I would get, I would probably have said this one.
"I mean, look, I was a late-comer to parliament.
"Quite honestly, in 1993, when I was approached to be on the list, I was very flattered, but never thought I would actually make it."
Two years into democracy, however, about 20 MPs were already redeployed and her number - 144 - came up.
So well did she prove herself, she soon had to keep up with the busiest diary in the country as Mbeki's right-hand woman in parliament.
Van der Merwe had to attend "almost every single meeting in parliament, so that I was fully informed about what's happening" and "try and keep my eyes and ears open for things I think the president needs to know".
Now she says: "I must say I have found it extremely invigorating to have had close interaction with the president.
"He is the most extraordinarily interesting man, and whenever we talk, I end up feeling really good about the country."
After studying at the University of Capr Town, Van der Merwe worked on a game farm, travelled and then decided to throw her weight into helping change the country.
She worked as a volunteer for Black Sash and later also for the Progressive Federal Party, where she met her late husband, Tiaan van der Merwe, in 1979.
A former MP, he died in a car accident in 1991, leaving behind two children.
"Just like that. Suddenly I was a single parent, and I did not have a proper job."
She managed the Open Society Foundation's community radio section until her call to parliament, where she took up communications and tourism portfolios.
Van der Merwe was later redeployed as whip to the finance committee and remained a member of the intelligence oversight committee until this year.
When she gets free time, she spends it with her
two children, who are both at university. "I love home, love cooking and all those things when I get a chance."