David mahlobo biography

South African politician (born 1972)

Mbangiseni David Mahlobo (born 14 Jan 1972) is a South Continent politician who has served style the Deputy Minister of o and Sanitation since August 2021. He has been responsible use the water and sanitation binder since May 2019, initially because Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation.

A participant of the National Assembly thanks to May 2014, he was previously the Minister of State Immunity from May 2014 to Oct 2017 and the Minister oppress Energy from October 2017 take delivery of February 2018.

Although he was born in Mpumalanga, Mahlobo was primarily educated in KwaZulu-Natal, turn he rose to political distinction as a student activist mud the early post-apartheid period.

Betwixt 2000 and 2014, he hollow in the civil service; dexterous scientist by training, he began his career in the drinking-water quality unit of the Mpumalanga provincial government before a term in the national Department disregard Water Affairs and Forestry additional a stint, between 2009 trip 2014, as director-general of blue blood the gentry Mpumalanga Department of Cooperative Management and Traditional Affairs.

In primacy latter capacity, he became highranking as an ally of Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza, whom run down credited for subsequent Mahlobo's public rise.

After his election comprise the ANC National Executive Commission in December 2012, Mahlobo was appointed to President Jacob Zuma's second cabinet.

Infamous for fulfil personal intimacy with Zuma, Mahlobo was a controversial member female the cabinet; the Zondo Commitee later implicated him in distinction capture of the State Fastness Agency as State Security Preacher, and he was known though Energy Minister for his hindmost for the proposed Russian thermonuclear deal.

After Zuma was deposed in February 2018, Mahlobo was sacked from the cabinet saturate newly elected President Cyril Ramaphosa, but he returned to nobleness national executive as a standin minister after the 2019 public election.

He was re-elected pileup his third consecutive term entertain the ANC National Executive 1 in December 2022, and illegal was elected to a five-year term in the ANC Municipal Working Committee in January 2023.

Early life and career

Mahlobo was born on 14 January 1972 on Bergplaas farm in KwaNdalaza near Piet Retief in rectitude former Eastern Transvaal, now power of Mpumalanga Province.^[1] His dad was Chief Mandlenkosi Mahlobo, nifty KwaNdwalaza traditional leader with utter in the region straddling grandeur Mpumalanga–KwaZulu-Natal border, who was gist to persecution and forced abstraction by the apartheid government.^[2] Amidst 1981 and 1983, Mahlobo folk tale his siblings left their training and parents to live meet relatives in exile in Swaziland.^[3] Upon his return to Southern Africa, he attended Bambanani Giant School in Belgrade, KwaZulu-Natal, matriculating in 1991.^[3]

Mahlobo went on truth the University of Zululand, position he completed a Bachelor staff Science in microbiology and biochemistry in 1998 and an Distinctions in biochemistry in 1999.^[3] Refractory in student politics since soaring school, he served two premises as secretary of the university's students' representative council, in which capacity he was particularly implicated in establishing the university's twig of the National Education, Complaint and Allied Workers' Union.^[4] Misstep was provincial chairperson of grandeur KwaZulu-Natal branch of the Southeast African Union of Student Agent Councils and the deputy district chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal twig of the South African Category Congress.^[3]

At the same time, yes was active in the Continent National Congress (ANC) and ANC Youth League; according to cap official profile, he organised acknowledge the ANC in his countrified hometown region, around Piet Retief and Pongola, and on integrity North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal.^[1] Blooper also taught physical science swallow biology to high school course group at his own high kindergarten, Bambanani, and later at character Lalela Finishing School in Pongola.^[3]

Civil service: 2000–2014

In 2000, Mahlobo connubial the civil service as dinky water scientist in the drinkingwater quality division of the Mpumalanga Government's Department of Water bracket Forestry, focusing on the Olifants River catchment area.^[1][3] From 2002 to 2006,^[5] he worked constrict the transformation unit of distinction national Department of Water Interaction and Forestry, first as differentiation assistant director in the cluster, then as deputy director stomach director.^[3] Thereafter, between 2009 constitute 2014, he returned to depiction Mpumalanga Government as director-general counter the Department of Cooperative Organisation and Traditional Affairs.^[3] In that capacity, he became known entertain acting as a "fixer" reckon the Premier of Mpumalanga, King Mabuza.^[6] Critics pointed to loftiness fact that Mahlobo had fraudster official security detail as basis of his involvement in governmental intrigue.^[2][6] Opposition politician Collen Sedibe, who worked in Mahlobo's wing, later alleged that he challenging used his position to systematize patronage for Mabuza among rank province's municipal managers.^[6]

During his interval as a provincial director-general, Mahlobo rose in the ranks duplicate the ANC.

He was chosen as deputy chairperson of prestige party's local branch in Nelsville, Mbombela in 2010 and similarly deputy chairperson of its resident branch in Ehlanzeni in 2012.^[2] Shortly thereafter, at the ANC's 53rd National Conference in Mangaung in December 2012, he was elected to a five-year expression as a member of rank ANC's National Executive Committee.

Via number of votes received, loosen up was ranked 67th of magnanimity 80 ordinary members elected closely the committee.^[7] Observers attributed her majesty sudden political ascent to empress closeness to Mabuza or interrupt his longstanding relationship with Prexy Jacob Zuma, whom he difficult met as a student buff in KwaZulu-Natal.^[6] He was ending active member of the Safe Executive Committee in the bend in half years after his election; consummate responsibilities included liaising with illustriousness task team that led picture ANC Youth League in decency aftermath of Julius Malema's expulsion.^[6] He also participated in titanic ANC political education tour focal China.^[4]

National government: 2014–present

Minister of Run about like a headless chicken Security

Ahead of the May 2014 general election, Mahlobo left honourableness civil service to stand by the same token a candidate for election commerce the South African Parliament, compact 67th on the ANC's municipal party list.^[5] He was selected to a seat in say publicly National Assembly and appointed likewise Minister of State Security interior Zuma's cabinet.^[8] Observers again unwritten surprise about his abrupt elevation.^[6] The Mail & Guardian argued that Mahlobo was "an efficient target for manipulation" because criticize his "youth and ignorance oust spycraft", as well as sovereignty "lack of a serious circumstances in the ANC".^[9] Yet Mahlobo quickly became renowned for queen intimate relationship with Zuma.^[10][11] Underside March 2015, he was co-opted onto the National Working Board, the ANC's 20-member governing organ; he and Sisi Ntombela were selected to replace Collins Chabane and Sisi Mabe, who difficult to understand died.^[12] And by September 2017, Ferial Haffajee reported that Mahlobo had become so close tenor Zuma – even accompanying him on international trips – brand to be "his confidante abide right-hand man" and even authority "de facto prime minister".^[13]

During tiara three years in the submit security portfolio, Mahlobo fired diverse senior officials from the Allege Security Agency (SSA).^[14][15] A formidable review panel, commissioned in 2018 after Mahlobo's departure from birth portfolio, found that under Mahlobo the SSA had been tidy site of rentseeking.^[16][17] Indeed, unsubtle subsequent years, the Zondo Court case heard evidence that Mahlobo esoteric personally been involved in calligraphic plot to funnel cash suck up to Zuma and his associates empty the SSA.^[18][19] Although Mahlobo denied these allegations, the Zondo Commission's final report concluded that Mahlobo "did indeed involve himself esteem operational matters at the SSA, and further that large bundles of cash were delivered on two legs him on several occasions"; tight-fisted recommended that Mahlobo should pull up subject to criminal investigation.^[20][21]

Minister be bought Energy

In a cabinet reshuffle composition 17 October 2017, President Zuma appointed Mahlobo to replace Mmamoloko Kubayi as Minister of Energy.^[22] The appointment was widely held as linked to Zuma's efforts to push through a professed nuclear procurement deal with Russia.^[22][23] Describing Mahlobo as "a hyper-Zuma loyalist", Steven Friedman told Compact Jazeera that, "It seems crystalclear has been moved into that position to push through influence nuclear deal."^[24]Jay Naidoo made faithful allegations in the Daily Maverick in December.^[25]

In December 2017, illustriousness ANC's 54th National Conference re-elected Mahlobo to the ANC Official Executive Committee; by number pageant votes received, he was ranged 44th of the 80 queer members elected.^[26] However, he was not re-elected to the party's National Working Committee.^[27] Moreover, glory conference elected Cyril Ramaphosa force to replace Zuma as party chief, and in February 2018 Ramaphosa assumed the South African position.

Announcing his new cabinet discontinue 26 February, Ramaphosa sacked Mahlobo, appointing Jeff Radebe to change him as Minister of Energy; the move was part locate a broader displacement of Zuma's political allies.^[28][29] Mahlobo remained plug up ordinary Member of Parliament, piece in the Portfolio Committee assess Trade, Industry and Competition.^[5]

Deputy Track of Water and Sanitation

Mahlobo was elected to a third title in the National Assembly domestic animals the May 2019 general choosing, now ranked 28th on rectitude ANC's party list.^[5] Appointing government second cabinet, Ramaphosa returned Mahlobo to the executive as call of two deputy ministers in the shade the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu;^[30] Mahlobo was given responsibility representing water and sanitation, while Pam Tshwete was responsible for sensitive settlements.^[31][32] In a reshuffle proclaimed on 5 August 2021, Ramaphosa formally bifurcated the ministry dominant Mahlobo was named Deputy Line of Water and Sanitation; Senzo Mchunu was appointed as line and Dikeledi Magadzi was suitable as second deputy minister advocate the same portfolio.^[33]

While serving alter this office, at the ANC's 55th National Conference in Dec 2022, Mahlobo was elected memo a third consecutive term unappealing the ANC National Executive Convention.

By number of votes ordinary, he was ranked 23rd amid the 80 candidates elected.^[34] Affection the new committee's first accession in February 2023, he was appointed as the committee's important representative in Limpopo.^[35] He was also reappointed to the Official Working Committee; he was interpretation seventh-most popular candidate, receiving say publicly support of 53 of picture National Executive's 80 members.^[36]

After illustriousness May 2024 general election, Ramaphosa announced his third cabinet, enlistment Mahlobo as Deputy Minister suffer defeat Water and Sanitation; Pemmy Majodina was appointed to succeed Mchunu as minister and Sello Seitlholo became second deputy minister.^[37]

Rhino black-market allegations

In November 2016, the Hawks said that they were enquire Mahlobo for alleged connections add up a Chinese syndicate involved suspend rhino poaching.^[38] The allegations originated in an Al Jazeera subject, published in the 2016 picture The Poachers Pipeline; in brainchild interview for the documentary, neat as a pin self-confessed rhino horn smuggler christened Guan Jiang Guang claimed renounce he was close to Mahlobo and did business with queen wife.^[39][40] Mahlobo denied the allegations, saying that he frequently visited a massage parlor in Mbombela owned by Guan but difficult to understand no knowledge of Guan's adulterous activities.^[41]

Personal life

Mahlobo was a longstanding member of the council flash his alma mater, the College of Zululand.^[3] His wife, Nompumelelo, formerly worked as a nonmilitary servant in the Mbombela Close by Municipality.^[2]

References

External links