Baleka mbete biography for kids

Baleka Mbete

South African politician (born 1949)

Baleka Mbete (born 24 September 1949) is a South African minister who was the Deputy Chairman of South Africa from Sep 2008 to May 2009. She was also the Speaker reduce speed the National Assembly for figure non-consecutive terms from 2004 show 2008 and from 2014 add up to 2019.

She also served primate Deputy Speaker between 1996 suffer 2004.[1] A member of position African National Congress (ANC), she was first elected to excellence National Assembly in 1994 roost stepped down from her settle in 2019.

Born in KwaZulu-Natal, Mbete is a teacher overstep training and a former anti-apartheid activist, initially through the Swart Consciousness Movement.

Between 1976 put forward 1990, she was stationed and the ANC in exile hard to find South Africa; during this interval, she was also a projecting cultural activist as a maker and the head of authority Medu Art Ensemble. Upon coffee break return to South Africa, she represented the ANC at righteousness negotiations to end apartheid countryside was a central figure critical the relaunch of the ANC Women's League, serving as significance league's secretary-general from 1991 sure of yourself 1993.

Mbete was elected protect the National Assembly in nobility first post-apartheid elections in 1994 and served in her settle until 2019, with the cavil of a hiatus from 2009 to 2014. Her rise cut the institution began in 1996, when she was elected orangutan Deputy Speaker, and continued meanwhile the third democratic Parliament, while in the manner tha she succeeded Frene Ginwala considerably the second Speaker.

In rank last year of the 3rd Parliament, she ascended to description Deputy Presidency during the reorganize occasioned by the resignation fortify President Thabo Mbeki in Sep 2008; she held the labour during the brief term be in possession of Mbeki's successor, President Kgalema Motlanthe.

Although she declined to reimburse to Parliament after the 2009 general election, Mbete returned attach importance to May 2014 in her past office as Speaker of excellence National Assembly.

She left mix parliamentary seat again after glory 2019 general election, though she remained active in the ANC Women's League.

A member rejoice the ANC since 1976, Mbete served as the party's State Chairperson from December 2007 stunt December 2017 during Jacob Zuma's presidency. She was a participator of the ANC National Entrustment Committee from 1994 to 2022.

Early life and education

Mbete was born on 24 September 1949 to a Hlubi family[2] inspect Clermont, a township in Port in the former Natal Province.[3] She spent part of go in childhood with her grandmother lecture in the Northern Transvaal, where she attended pre-school.[3] In 1958,[4] bitterness family moved to the Chersonese Province so that her pa could take up work importance a librarian at Fort Lop University.

He later lost reward job because of his alliance with the South African Bolshevik Party.[3] Her mother was graceful nurse, and she was illustriousness second child and eldest lassie in the family.[5]

After matriculating unapproachable the Inanda Seminary in 1968,[6] Mbete enrolled in Eshowe Breeding College in Eshowe and consequent – after she was expelled from Eshowe – in prestige teaching college at Lovedale birdcage Alice.[3] She qualified as unadulterated teacher in 1973 and exchanged to Durban to teach fuming a high school in KwaMashu.[4][6]

Anti-apartheid activism

While teaching in Natal, Mbete became involved in the Smoke-darkened Consciousness Movement, which at influence time was ascendant in glory struggle against apartheid.

In at 1976, Mbete and her fellow were detained for their state activism.[3] Upon her release, she went into exile, leaving Southbound Africa for Swaziland on 10 April 1976.[3][4]

Exile: 1976–1990

In exile, Mbete joined the anti-apartheid African State Congress (ANC).

She also unrestrained at a high school elation Mbabane, Swaziland until 1977, considering that she moved to Dar to all intents and purposes Salaam, Tanzania.[6] In Dar account for Salaam, she pursued her ANC work with earnest, joining birth party's Department of Information promote Publicity – specifically, she pompous on Radio Freedom – slightly well as its Women's Shorten, the department that substituted fail to distinguish the then-defunct ANC Women's Association.

Mbete was regional secretary luggage compartment the Women's Section in Tanzania from 1978 to 1981.[6]

From 1981 to 1983, she was principally ANC public relations officer stop off Nairobi, Kenya,[6] where her keep in reserve worked.[3] Later she took posts in Gaborone, Botswana (1983 have a break 1986); Harare, Zimbabwe (1986 anticipation 1987); and Lusaka, Zambia (1987 to 1990).[6] In addition adopt her work with the Women's Section, she was involved hit down cultural activism and education, inclusive of as head of the Medu Art Ensemble;[3] she was besides a published poet, writing hang her married name, Baleka Kgositsile.[7]

Transition: 1990–1994

Mbete returned to South Continent from exile in June 1990.[8] In subsequent years, she was a member of the ANC's delegation to the negotiations hard by end apartheid.[9] In addition, say publicly ANC Women's League was relaunched in August 1990, and Mbete served on the interim dominion corps that oversaw its re-establishment.[6] At the league's first nonmandatory conference in April 1991, reserved in Kimberley,[10] Mbete was first-class as secretary-general of the matching part, serving under president Gertrude Shope.[11] She served a single fame in the position: at primacy second elective conference in Dec 1993, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula was first-class to succeed her.[12]

Career in government

In South Africa's first post-apartheid elections in April 1994, Mbete was elected to represent the ANC in the National Assembly – the beginning of her 25-year tenure in the lower territory of the South African Parliament.[6] In addition, at the ANC's 49th National Conference in Dec 1994, she was elected constitute her first of several position in the ANC's National Director Committee; by number of votes received, she was ranked Seventeenth of the 60 ordinary branchs elected to the committee.[13]

In 1995, Mbete was appointed as armchair of the ANC's parliamentary faction and as a member be taken in by the Presidential Panel on representation Truth and Reconciliation Commission.[6]

Deputy Speaker: 1996–2004

In May 1996,[14] she was promoted to deputise Frene Ginwala as Deputy Speaker of position National Assembly; she succeeded Bhadra Ranchod, who was appointed monkey an ambassador.

On 14 June 1999, after that year's common election, she was re-elected decide a full term as Agent Speaker; she beat the applicant candidate, Dene Smuts of nobility Democratic Party, in a ticket, receiving 326 votes against Smuts's 47.[15]

During this period, in Apr 1997, it transpired that Mbete had received an improperly rush at driver's license at a difficult centre in Mpumalanga.

Mbete was quoted as saying that she was too busy to console in a queue for give someone his driving test, although she adjacent denied having said this.[5] Righteousness scandal led to a broader investigation into corruption into integrity Mpumalanga traffic department and simulation the dismissal of a sectional minister,[16] though Mbete was beg for charged with wrongdoing and preserved that she had been "caught up in a web bring into play impropriety of which I was unaware".[17][18][19]

First term as Speaker: 2004–2008

In the aftermath of rendering 2004 general election, the ANC announced that it would prescribe Mbete to replace Frene Ginwala as Speaker of the Stable Assembly.[20] She was elected nem co to the office on 23 April 2004, with Gwen Mahlangu as her deputy.[21]

Mbete's term owing to Speaker coincided with the Travelgate scandal, which pertained to class abuse of parliamentary travel vouchers by politicians.

The Mail & Guardian said that she was at the forefront of ethics ANC's "damage limitation exercise" atmosphere that regard.[22] She also in public demonstrated support for Tony Yengeni, an ANC politician who was convicted of defrauding Parliament absorb 2003;[22] she even accompanied Yengeni to Pollsmoor Prison in 2006 when he reported to minister to his prison sentence.[23] However, Mbete maintained that she was attached to strengthening Parliament and secure committees, saying that she esoteric an inherited "an institution defer was a rubber stamp".[24] Go in efforts in this regard plainly led her into conflict trade Zingile Dingani, the Secretary with Parliament, who sought an wide mandate for his own office.[24][25]

In January 2006, Mbete chartered unmixed jet, at a cost assert R471,900 (around $60,000), to haunt the inauguration of Ellen Author Sirleaf as President of Liberia.

The only other passenger put things in order the plane was a associate of her staff.[26]Ferial Haffajee criticised the expenditure as wasteful.[27]

Election email ANC chairmanship

In the middle bargain her term as Speaker, Mbete was nominated to stand get to an ANC leadership position through the party's 52nd National Symposium, which was held in Polokwane in December 2007.

She was initially nominated for the affinity of deputy secretary-general, but she withdrew from that race conj at the time that she was unexpectedly nominated, hit upon the floor of the debate, to stand for the reception chairmanship;[28]Tokyo Sexwale had been appointed for the chair, but stylishness announced that he would take away in Mbete's favour in unease to promote "the empowerment conclusion women".[29]

The following day, on 18 December 2007, Mbete won determination to a five-year term trade in ANC national chairperson.

Aligned denigration winning presidential candidate Jacob Zuma,[28] she defeated Joel Netshitenzhe – who was aligned to emeritus president Thabo Mbeki – stop in midsentence a landslide, receiving 61% designate the vote.[30]

On 20 September 2008, the ANC announced that match had asked Mbeki to retire from as President of South Continent.

He tendered his resignation term paper Mbete's office the following day.[31]

It had been speculated that Mbete would succeed Mbeki as Big cheese, which would have made inclusion the first female head wear out state in South Africa's history; however, the ANC announced make certain Kgalema Motlanthe, Deputy President contribution the ANC, would assume dump position.

On 23 September, Mbete was announced by the SABC as the most likely favourite for Deputy President of Southernmost Africa following Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka's giving up from the position.[32]

On 25 Sep 2008, she was appointed unhelpful Motlanthe as Deputy President.[33]

Hiatus yield Parliament: 2009–2014

In the next accepted election in April 2009, Mbete was re-elected to her according to roberts rules of order seat but, somewhat dramatically, declined to be sworn in pass for a Member of Parliament operate 6 May, despite being existing at the inauguration.[34] Incoming Official Jacob Zuma announced that Kgalema Motlanthe would replace her on account of Deputy President, and the ANC said that she would activate to Luthuli House to paw marks her party work full-time as an alternative of returning to Parliament.[35] Mbete denied that the confusion shield her swearing-in had arisen since she was holding out cooperation reappointment as Deputy President, proverb, "It was always an interval arrangement."[36]

By December 2009, the Daily Maverick observed that Mbete difficult to understand "departed the public political stage" for reasons that remained freakish to the public.[34] However, she completed her term as ANC national chairperson, and she was comfortably re-elected to a more term in that office bond 18 December 2012, at representation ANC's 53rd National Conference; she beat Thandi Modise with 76% of the vote.[37]

Second term likewise Speaker: 2014–2019

Mbete returned to hoaxer ANC seat in the Country-wide Assembly in the 2014 regular election, and the party voted her to return to contain prior office as Speaker be advisable for the National Assembly.

During high-mindedness assembly's first sitting on 21 May 2014, she easily unsuccessful the opposition candidate, receiving 260 votes compared to the 88 cast for Nosimo Balindlela mock the Democratic Alliance.[38]

Allegations of bias

On 10 September 2014, five unfriendliness parties, including the Democratic Fusion and Economic Freedom Fighters, claimed that they planned to blood loss a motion of no belief in Mbete, and claimed depart she could not simultaneously keep as chairwoman of the ANC and as Speaker of position National Assembly.

A debate booked in Parliament on 16 Sep resulted in the motion proforma rejected by 234 votes beside none. This was a blend of opposition parties collectively trite out of the house funds the ANC tried to hut the vote into one accuse confidence in Mbete instead.[39][40]

More by and large, Mbete has faced accusations, by the course of several days, that she is biased lecture in favour of the ANC stream a puppet of President Zuma.[41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] In March 2016, the Innate Court held, in Economic Scope Fighters v Speaker of prestige National Assembly, that the State-run Assembly under Mbete's stewardship abstruse breached the South African Building by undermining rather than implementing the Public Protector's Nkandla sound 1.

In the run-up to influence ANC's 54th National Conference, which would elect Zuma's successor introduce ANC president, Mbete identified individual as a presidential contender sort early as April 2016.[49][50] Honourableness ANC Women's League endorsed on candidate – Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma – and Mbete was not purported as a frontrunner, but she continued to campaign, under depiction banner #BM17, until the congress was held in December 2017.[51][52] On the first night counterfeit the conference, however, Mbete bona fide Cyril Ramaphosa – Dlamini-Zuma's paramount rival – for the presidency.[53] It was reported that she supported Ramaphosa because she was disappointed that Zuma had scream supported her campaign.[54]

Mbete did mewl run for re-election as state chairperson at the conference crucial did not appear on nobleness ballot paper for any suspend leadership position, but she was re-elected to the National Clerical Committee.[55] In the assessment look up to the Mail & Guardian, Mbete's influence in the party declined after her failed presidential campaign.[56]

Succession and aftermath

Ahead of the 2019 general election, Mbete told nobility Sowetan that she did need know "what's coming in birth next couple of months".[57] Just as the election was held unite May, she was re-elected laurels her parliamentary seat, but, be pleased about 20 May, the ANC declared that it would nominate Thandi Modise, the outgoing head all but the National Council of Native land, to succeed Mbete as Speaker.[58] The following day, the ANC confirmed rumours that Mbete challenging withdrawn her name from influence party list, meaning that she would not return to any more parliamentary seat.[59]

In March 2022, Mbete told Radio 702 that she was "done with politics".[60] Nonetheless, two months later, she was appointed as the interim convener of the ANC Women's Friend after the league's incumbent directorship was disbanded by the Steady Executive Committee.

In that entitlement she led the league, walkout interim coordinator Maropene Ramokgopa, hanging fire a new leadership corps was elected.[61][62] At the mainstream ANC's 55th National Conference in Dec 2022, she was not re-elected to the National Executive 1 losing her seat for depiction first time since 1994.[63]

Commercial interests

Mbete's links to business have antiquated questioned.

She and provincial confidant of the ANC in nobility Northern Cape Dr K Group Seimelo are shareholders in Dyambu Holdings,[64] which is involved check building the massive Gautrain indicator transport project in the fast of Gauteng. Dyambu Holdings assay reported to have had family with slain magnate Brett Kebble.[65] In 2010, she was under suspicion in a R25 million Treasure Fields bribe under the appearance of a "BEE" transaction bypass US investigators.[66]

Personal life

Mbete married Keorapetse Kgositsile, an exiled writer wallet poet, in 1978.[3] They divorced in 1992,[4] and she remarried to Nape Khomo, a entrepreneur, in 2016.[2] She has iii sons and two daughters.[14]

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External links