Phumzile Mgcina
Phumzile Mgcina | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour | |
| Assumed office 3 July 2024 Serving with Jomo Sibiya | |
| President | Cyril Ramaphosa |
| Minister | Nomakhosazana Meth |
| Preceded by | Pinky Moloi |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| Assumed office 14 June 2024 | |
| Deputy President of the African National Congress Youth League | |
| Assumed office 1 July 2023 | |
| President | Collen Malatji |
| Preceded by | Desmond Moela |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 August 1990 Utrecht, Natal Province South Africa |
| Political party | African National Congress |
Phumzile Sinclatia Mgcina (born 8 August 1990) is a South African politician who is currently serving as Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour since July 2024. She has been the deputy president of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League since July 2023.
Mgcina is from Utrecht, KwaZulu-Natal and began her career as a local councillor in Amajuba District Municipality. She was elected to the National Assembly of South Africa in the May 2024 general election.
Early life
[edit]Born 8 August 1990,[1] Mgcina is from Utrecht, a small town outside Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal.[2] She later said that her interest in politics stemmed from her recognition that the end of apartheid had not improved service delivery in Utrecht.[2] As a 16 year old she became politically active in the Youth League of the African National Congress (ANC).[2]
Early political career
[edit]Mgcina entered frontline politics as a local councillor in the Amajuba District Municipality, which governs her hometown. Representing the ANC, she was elected as speaker of the council in the late 2010s; the Sunday Tribune said that she was the youngest council speaker in the country.[2] She later served as a member of the mayor's executive committee in the municipal government.[3]
She was also active in the ANC's regional branch in Newcastle, known as the Emalahleni or Mbuso Kubheka branch.[2] In May 2018 she was elected as ANC deputy regional secretary,[4] and in September 2021 she was elected to succeed Phumzile Mbatha-Cele as deputy regional chairperson, deputising Newcastle mayor Ntuthuko Mahlaba.[5][6]
In 2023, Mgcina launched a campaign for election as deputy president of the ANC Youth League, which was due to hold its first national elective conference since 2015. She ran on a slate of candidates aligned to presidential candidate Collen Malatji.[7][8] Mgcina was the only deputy presidential candidate to receive sufficient nominations to earn a place on the ballot paper,[9] and she was elected as league deputy president when the conference was held in Johannesburg on 1 July 2023.[10] She was the first woman to hold the office.[11][12]
National government: 2024–present
[edit]Ahead of the May 2024 general election, Mgcina stood as an ANC candidate, ranked 23rd on the party's national list.[13] She was elected to a seat in the National Assembly, and on 30 June President Ramaphosa announced her appointment as Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour.[14] In that capacity she deputises Minister Nomakhosazana Meth and serves alongside Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya. Her appointment followed an overt campaign by the ANC Youth League, calling for her elevation to the cabinet in service of youth representation.[15] She was sworn in to office on 3 July 2024.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ "Final Candidate Lists for 2024 National and Provincial Elections: National Candidates" (PDF). Electoral Commission of South Africa. 10 April 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
- ^ a b c d e Mngadi, Siboniso (28 April 2021). "Meet Phumzile Mgcina the country's youngest council speaker who has big political ambitions". Sunday Tribune. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "New ANCYL leaders elected". The Witness. 2023-07-03. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ "New leaders for KZN ANC regions". Daily Sun. 13 May 2018. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
- ^ Capa, Siyamtanda (2021-09-06). "ANC's Mahlaba elected unopposed in Newcastle". Witness. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
- ^ "Newcastle mayor Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba re-elected as eMalahleni regional chairperson". The Mercury. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "It's a three-way contest for Youth League Presidency". City Press. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "Eight years later, ANC Youth League races towards conference with nomination list". City Press. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "All systems go for ANCYL conference". IOL. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ Tandwa, Lizeka (2023-07-02). "After much drama, Collen Malatji elected ANCYL president". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ Hussain, Muhammad (8 July 2023). "Phumzile Mgcina: ANCYL's first woman deputy wants to remain true to branches". News24. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ "Who are the new ANCYL leaders led by new youth league president Collen Malatji". IOL. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "Phumzile Mgcina". People's Assembly. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ "Meet the new cabinet". The Sowetan. 30 June 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "ANCYL intensifies campaign for their DP to be minister". Sunday Times. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ "'So help me God!' Ministers take the oath and affirmation for 7th Administration". IOL. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
External links
[edit]- Phumzile Sinclatia Mgcina at Parliament of South Africa
- Phumzile Sinclatia Mgcina at South African Government
- Phumzile Mgcina at People's Assembly