South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has named Nkhensani Kubayi-Ngubane as the new minister of tourism to replace Derek Hanekom. Until her appointment, Ms Mmamoloko “Nkhensani” Kubayi-Ngubane was the Minister of Science and Technology from 27 February 2018. She was the Minister of Communications from 17 October 2017 to 26 February 2018.
She is a Member of Parliament of the African National Congress (ANC), and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services. She is also a member of the ANC Youth League and member of the Gauteng Provincial Executive Committee Ms Kubayi-Ngubane matriculated in 1997. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vista University (2000) and a Project Management Diploma from Damelin (2002).
She served as the Whip of Parliamentary Committee on Basic and Higher Education and Training, and also served on the Standing Committee on Appropriations. Ms Kubayi-Ngubane was the Minister of Energy of from 31 March to 16 October 2017
The new minister of tourism is a down to earth person. In 2017 she told News 24 about her admiration for former president Zuma’s leadership style: “I’m also a bit of a traditionalist. It shapes my identity … When he arrived in power, we could relate to him.”
Her upbringing as one of five in an impoverished household in Meadowlands Zone 10, Soweto, frames her complexities.
“The pillar of my family is my mother. She was a domestic worker all her life. That carried us through. We lived in a shack, where we were living when I passed my matric. I fell pregnant when I was a teenager. I was 17.”
Madam Nkhensani Kubayi-Ngubane will be assisted by Fish Mahlela who also replaces Elizabeth Thabethe.
Fish Mahlalela (born 29 August 1962) is a South African politician. He has since 7 May 2014 held a seat for ANC in the National Assembly of South Africa and is the ANC Whip at Portfolio Committee on Health (National Assembly Committees).Mahlalela was born in the village of Mbuzini in the Mpumalanga Province. He obtained his matric certificate from Nkomazi High School, and got a Honor Degree in Governance and Leadership from the University of the Witwatersrand.
He has served in the government for over 21 years now and is former regional Transport Minister, as well a former member of the provincial executive council of Mpumalanga.
In 2002, Mahlalela won the African National Congress chairmanship of Mpumalanga.Mahlalela has been a member of African National Congress since 1980, and holds a seat for ANC in the National Assembly of South Africa.
South African native executives board members of the African Tourism Board, VP Cuthbert Ncube, and CEO Doris Woerfel congratulated both the minister and vice minister of Tourism and pledged ATB’s support.
Tags:South Africa, Nkhensani Kubayi-Nguban
