Radebe was South Africa's longest continuously serving cabinet member post-1994, having been part of every national administration from 1994 until the 2019 election.

Radebe was born in Cato Manor, and lived there until 1958 when his family was forcibly removed to KwaMashu.

In 1977 the ANC sent Radebe to Mozambique, and soon after to Tanzania where he worked as a journalist for a radio station in Dar es Salaam.

After an unsuccessful secret mission by the ANC, Radebe was arrested in 1986, and was convicted under the Terrorism Act of the then Apartheid government.

After the 1994 democratic elections, Radebe served as Minister of Public Works under Nelson Mandela.