Mahlengi Bhengu
National Spokesperson of the African National Congress
Assumed office
27 January 2023
PresidentCyril Ramaphosa
Preceded byPule Mabe
Personal details
BornNatal Province, South Africa
Political partyAfrican National Congress
Alma materUniversity of KwaZulu-Natal

Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri is a South African politician who is currently serving as spokesperson of the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's governing party. A former ANC Youth League activist, she was appointed as spokesperson in January 2023, shortly after her election to the ANC's National Executive Committee at the party's 55th National Conference.

Early life and career

Bhengu was born in present-day KwaZulu-Natal and has a Bachelor's degree in public administration from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.[1] Her political career began in the women's and youth wings of the anti-apartheid movement; she was a member of the Natal Organisation of Women and served as Secretary-General of the South African Students Congress (SASCO) from 1992 to 1994.[2] In July 1996, the first post-apartheid president, Nelson Mandela, appointed her to a five-year term as chairperson of the National Youth Commission.[1][3][4]

Bhengu was also active in the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League and later served on the league's National Executive Committee.[1] In 2001, she was a prominent supporter of David Makhura's unsuccessful campaign to unseat Malusi Gigaba as ANC Youth League President.[5]

She subsequently worked in public administration in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and as a management consultant in the private sector. By 2022, she was chairperson of the board of the Gauteng Partnership Fund, a state-owned enterprise.[1] She also remained active in the ANC: in April 2019, she was appointed to the inaugural board of the ANC's new political school, the O. R. Tambo School of Leadership,[6] and in March 2022 she was appointed as member of the ANC's internal Renewal Commission, chaired by Thoko Didiza.[7]

ANC spokesperson: 2023–present

At the ANC's 55th National Conference in December 2022, Moraka was elected to a five-year term on the party's National Executive Committee (NEC); by number of votes received, she was ranked 70th of the 80 candidates elected, receiving 1,038 votes across the 4,029 ballots cast in total.[8] On 27 January 2023, the NEC elected her to succeed Pule Mabe as the party's national spokesperson; she will serve in the position, a full-time job based out of Luthuli House, until the NEC's term ends in 2027.[1][4][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "State of Disaster legislation needed to combat energy crisis – ANC NEC". Politicsweb. 1 February 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  2. ^ "Long Live the Student Movement!". SASCO. 2018-09-06. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  3. ^ "Youth Commission appointed". Mayibuye. 7 (6). 1 July 1996. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b Mkhwanazi, Siyabonga (27 January 2023). "ANC appoints Mahlengi Bhengu as new national spokesperson". IOL. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  5. ^ Gumede, William (2002). "The young lions who miaow". Focus. Helen Suzman Foundation. 27. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  6. ^ "ANC affirms steadfast path of renewal at political school launch". IOL. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  7. ^ Makhafola, Getrude (2022-03-28). "ANC ropes in big guns for its disciplinary committee to deal with ill-discipline 'more decisively'". The Citizen. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  8. ^ "ANC NEC election results". Politicsweb. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  9. ^ "Mahlengi Bhengu replaces Pule Mabe as ANC chief spokesperson". SABC News. 2023-01-28. Retrieved 2023-02-05.

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