Albertina Luthuli Explained

Party:	African National Congress
Office1:	Member of the National Assembly
Termstart1:	2 April 2001
Termend1:	1 May 2011
Birth Date:	14 March 1932
Birth Place:	Groutville, Natal Province Union of South Africa
Relations:	Albert Luthuli (father)
Alma Mater:	University of Natal (MBChB)

Albertina Nomathuli Luthuli (born 14 March 1932) is a South African politician and medical doctor who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly from 2004 to 2011. Before that, she served in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature. She is the eldest daughter of ANC stalwart Albert Luthuli.

Early life and career

Luthuli was born on 14 March 1932^[1] in Groutville in the former Natal Province. She was the second of seven children born to Albert Luthuli, an ANC stalwart and ultimately a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate who died when he was struck by a train in 1967.^[2] She attended Adams College and matriculated at St Francis College before enrolling at the University of Natal, where she completed an MBChB.^[3]

From 1971 to 1991, during the height of apartheid, she lived in exile in Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom.^[4] When she returned to South Africa in 1991, she opened a medical practice in Natal.^[5]

Post-apartheid political career

After the end of apartheid in 1994, Luthuli represented the ANC in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature. On 2 April 2001, she was sworn in to the National Assembly to fill a casual vacancy in the ANC's KwaZulu-Natal caucus.^[6] In the 2004 general election, she was elected to a full term in the seat.^{[7] [8]} She was re-elected in 2009 but resigned on 1 May 2011; her seat was filled by Duduzile Sibiya.^[9]

Retirement

Luthuli lives in her hometown of Groutville. In 2016, she was publicly critical of President Jacob Zuma; she was one of 100 ANC stalwarts who signed an open letter calling for reform in the ANC^[10] and she attended several civil society events which protested against decisions of Zuma's administration.^{[11] [12]} She has also called publicly for another inquest into the circumstances of her father's death.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2022-04-04 . The downfall of the ANC in Groutville – home to Albert Luthuli . 2023-04-11 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
2. Web site: 9 January 2017 . Nokukhanya Luthuli . 2023-04-11 . South African History Online.
3. Web site: Albertina Luthuli . 2023-04-11 . TEDxSaltRock.
4. Web site: Trustees . 2023-04-11 . Christians for Peace in Africa . en-US.
5. Web site: 2018-03-29 . Luthuli inquest could be reopened . 2023-04-11 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
6. Web site: 2002-06-02 . The National Assembly List of Resinations and Nominations . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20020602095739/http://parliament.gov.za/na/resign.htm . 2 June 2002 . 2023-04-02 . Parliament of South Africa.
7. 20 April 2004 . General Notice: Notice 717 of 2004 - Electoral Commission – List of Names of Representatives in the National Assembly and the Nine Provincial Legislatures in Respect of the Elections Held on 14 April 2004 . . Pretoria, South Africa . . 466 . 2677 . 4–95 . 26 March 2021.
8. Web site: 14 September 2010 . MPs urge new scholar transport laws . 2023-04-11 . News24 . en-US.
9. Web site: Members of the National Assembly . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140209085913/http://www.pmg.org.za/node/30336 . 9 February 2014 . 2 March 2023 . Parliamentary Monitoring Group.
10. Web site: 2016-12-16 . ANC stalwarts critique of current leadership: the full text . 2023-04-11 . GroundUp News . en.
11. Web site: 2016-04-11 . S. Africa’s ANC on 'polarization' path . 2023-04-11 . DW . en.
12. Web site: 2 November 2016 . If one man is not responsible, then who is? – Albertina Luthuli . 2023-04-11 . News24 . en-US.