Northern Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Nature Conservation MEC Sylvia Lucas was elected to her position in 2009, following a long career in politics and government. Between 1995 and 2000, Sylvia Lucas served as an African National Congress (ANC) councilor in the //Khara Hais (Former Upington) municipality.
In 2000, she became a member of the Provincial Legislature and served as chairperson on the Social Services and Sport, Arts and culture committees.
In 2004, she was again made a member of the provincial legislature, on the Social Development Committee. She also served as chairperson on the Finance and economic development Committee before being elected to the position of MEC for Environmental affairs and Nature conservation. From 1982 to 1999, Sylvia worked in the administration unit of the provincial Department of social Development. From 1999 to 2000, she was a community-development worker with the former Upington Municipality. Sylvia has held various positions within the ANC and the ANC Women’s Leaque (ANCWL). In 1994, she became an ANC Regional Executive Committee member for Upington and in 1996, was made Regional secretary of the ANCWL for the same region. Between 1996 and 2000, she was both regional working committee member and regional executive committee member, also in Upington. In 2000, Sylvia was made ANC Regional Chairperson for Siyanda, a position she held until 2004, when she became a Provincial Executive Committee member of the ANC in the Northern Cape. Between 2000 and 2007, she served also as a Provincial Executive Committee and Provincial Working Committee member of the ANCWL. In 2007, Sylvia became a Northern Cape Provincial Working Committee member of the ANC as well as the Northern Cape Deputy Provincial Chairperson of the ANCWL. She still holds both positions today. | 
