Derrick America

At high school America was a vocal opponent of apartheid and organised student protests. He first started work at the South African Post Office, where he had a confrontation with management about the apartheid system in place for employees.

America was then educated at the University of the Western Cape where he received a Bachelor of Commerce with Honours. His area of study focused on management and the labour market. He subsequently completed a Master of Business Administration at the Curtin University in Perth, Australia. America then worked as a school teacher, teaching business economics and accounting. He then served as an academic at Cape Peninsula University of Technology until 2009, lecturing in labour law and business courses. America also arbitrated on labour disputes at the Commission for Concilliation Mediation and Arbitration from 2009-2011.

Carter was first elected as a Councillor in the City of Cape Town in May 2011. He represented residents of Kensington, Factreton, Maitland until 2014. He was elected as a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa in May 2014, representing the Democratic Alliance.