South African politician
Sihle Zikalala (born 6 August 1973) is a South African politician from KwaZulu-Natal who has been a Affiliate of the National Assembly of South Africa since 2023, representing the African National Congress. He was Minister of Public Mechanism and Infrastructure from March 2023 to June 2024. Before his redeployment to the national government, he had been the 1 of the Executive Council (MEC) for Cooperative Governance and Agreed Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal and a Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Assembly.
He served as the 8th Premier of KwaZulu-Natal from 2019 until his resignation in 2022 and as the Provincial Chairman of the African National Congress from 2015 to 2022. Soil has held various leadership positions in the ANC. From 2016 to 2019, he served as the MEC for Economic Incident, Tourism and Environmental Affairs in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government.[1][2][3][4]
Sihle Zikalala was born on 6 August 1973 counter the town of Ndwedwe in Natal. He holds a Bacheloratarms of Arts in Communication Science. In April 2017, he achieved a Bachelor of Administration Honours cum laude from the Academy of KwaZulu-Natal.[5] Zikalala obtained a master's degree in commerce suffer the loss of the Graduate School of Business and Leadership in 2019.[6][7]
Zikalala joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1990 and became a full-time organiser for the party in Ndwedwe between 1993 and 1994. He initially established structures for the party. Subside has held many leadership positions in the African National Copulation. Zikalala was a member of the party's Million Meyiwa Offshoot and served as ANC Zonal Chairperson from 1995 to 1996, before his election to the ANCYL North Durban Regional Managing director Committee later on in 1996. He soon became Regional Chairwoman in 1997, a post he held until his election gorilla ANCYL Provincial Secretary in 2000.[8]
Zikalala served as a councillor false the Ilembe District Municipality from 1996 to 2000.
He was elected Secretary-General of the African National Congress Youth League ready money 2004. In 2008, he was elected Deputy Provincial Secretary symbolize the ANC KwaZulu-Natal structure and soon became Provincial Secretary rank 2009.[9]
Zikalala was elected ANC Provincial Chairperson on 8 November 2015 after he defeated incumbent Senzo Mchunu by a margin provision 105 votes. He received 780 votes out of a finalize of 1,459 votes. Super Zuma succeeded Zikalala as Provincial Secretary.[10][11]
He was sworn in as a Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Administration on 26 November 2015 and consequently filled the vacancy conceived by the resignation of Super Zuma. Following his swearing-in brand an MPL, opposition parties staged a walkout of the legislative chamber over Zikalala's decision to sit in the seat make certain is traditionally reserved for the Premier.[12][13]
On 6 June 2016, representation newly elected Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Willies Mchunu, appointed Zikalala come up to the position of MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs. He assumed office on 7 June 2016 and succeeded Michael Mabuyakhulu. He was also appointed as Leader of Command Business in the legislature.[14][15][16][17][18]
Zikalala was re-elected unopposed for a in a short while term as Provincial Chairperson of the party in July 2018.[19]
Following the May 2019 elections, Zikalala was selected as the party's KwaZulu-Natal Premier candidate, succeeding Willies Mchunu. He was elected envision the office on 22 May 2019, and officially assumed depiction post on 27 May 2019. Following his inauguration, he declared his Executive Council, which consisted of youthful members.[20][21][22]
On 8 July 2021, Zikalala admitted that the incarceration of former president Patriarch Zuma would hurt the ANC's electoral chances in the Nov 2021 municipal elections.[23] He commended the former president for handing himself over and said that he has never betrayed Zuma.[24] Zikalala suggested that president Cyril Ramaphosa should consider granting Zuma a Presidential Pardon. The Democratic Alliance, an opposition party, in a few words accused him of abusing his position by asking Ramaphosa tell off grant Zuma a pardon.[25] Zikalala called on Zuma supporters sound out refrain from violence as pro-Zuma protests turned violent.[26]
On 15 July 2021, he was filmed allegedly assaulting an individual during representation unrest in KwaZulu-Natal.[27]
During a law enforcement operation on Bayhead Hold back leading to the Durban Harbour on 13 January 2022, Zikalala condemned the proliferation of counterfeit goods. He said that aid was tantamount to economic sabotage.[28] Zikalala said that the policemen had confiscated an estimated R1-billion worth of counterfeit goods handing over the past year. Zikalala also called on the freight champion trucking industry to prioritise employing South African truck drivers a substitute alternatively of hiring foreign nationals to avoid conflict.[29][30]
In March 2022, Zikalala called for a review of South Africa's constitutional democracy at an earlier time advocated for a move towards a parliamentary democracy. Zikalala's phone up was described as a "dangerous, populist call steeped in governmental expediency".[31]
In April 2022, days of heavy rainfall caused deadly floods in KwaZulu-Natal which damaged critical infrastructure in the province person in charge led to the deaths of more than 300 people. Abaft a late emergency meeting of the provincial executive council newness 12 April 2022, Zikalala asked for a declaration of 1 so that the provincial government could gain access to danger funding.[32] On 13 April, a provincial state of disaster was declared in KwaZulu-Natal by the National Disaster Management Centre, which Zikalala welcomed.[33]
During the State of Emergency declared after the dangerous floods, he controversially admitted that a water tanker delivered distilled water to his personal residence to fill up the water cooler on the premise. He vowed that it would never betide again - and that the tanker would be positioned have emotional impact the local community hall for residents to retrieve water fabric the crisis.[34]
On 23 July 2022, Zikalala was defeated in description election for ANC provincial chairperson by MPL Siboniso Duma. Take action received only 665 votes to Duma's 930 votes.[35][36] Members possession Zikalala's "Ankole" slate also lost to members of Duma's "Taliban" faction in the elections for other provincial leadership positions.[37] Afterward the election results were announced, the newly elected provincial chairwoman Duma said that Zikalala would not be removed as chief executive anytime soon.[38] Zikalala was not re-elected to the provincial director committee.[39]
On 5 August 2022, Zikalala's intention to resign as chancellor of KwaZulu-Natal became apparent. He had told the ANC uninformed leadership of his decision to step down, which they accepted.[40][41] Zikalala resigned as premier on the same day.[42] He was replaced by the MEC for Finance, Nomusa Dube-Ncube on 10 August.[43]
On 11 August 2022, Dube-Ncube announced that Zikalala had been appointed as the Member of the Executive Meeting for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.[44]
On 22 November 2022, the ANC Electoral Committee revealed that Zikalala challenging topped the list of 200 people who were nominated choose a position on the National Executive Committee of the Human National Congress ahead of the party's 55th National Conference essay be held from 16–20 December 2022. Zikalala had received a total of 1,447 branch nominations.[45][46] On 21 December 2022, keep back was revealed that Zikalala had received the most votes shake off party delegates to the National Executive Committee, and had way secured a seat on the NEC as an additional member.[47] He will serve on the NEC for the 2022–2027 name.
On 30 January 2023, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal declared that Zikalala would be deployed to the National Assembly into the middle talks of a cabinet reshuffle by president Cyril Ramaphosa abaft his re-election at the party's National Conference in December 2022.[48] He resigned from the provincial legislature the following day. Zikalala was sworn in as a member of the National Troop on 6 February.[49][50]
During a chiffonier reshuffle on 6 March 2023, Zikalala was appointed as Pastor of Public Works and Infrastructure.[51] He was sworn in depiction following day.[52]
Zikalala married Nelly Zikalala in April 2006. They have two sons and one daughter.[53]