The Executive Council of KwaZulu-Natal is the cabinet of the executive branch of the provincial government in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. The Members of the Executive Council (MECs) are appointed from among the members of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature by the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, an office held since May 2024 by Thami Ntuli of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).
After his election in the 2009 general election, Premier Zweli Mkhize announced his new Executive Council on 11 May 2009.[1] Weeks afterwards, Bheki Cele resigned as MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, in order to become National Police Commissioner. On 29 July, Mkhize announced that Cele would be replaced by Willies Mchunu, and that Nomusa Dube-Ncube would in turn take over Mchunu's portfolio, Local Government and Traditional Affairs.[2] In November 2011, Mkhize announced a reshuffle of his cabinet which affected four portfolios.[3]
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Zweli Mkhize | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Ina Cronje | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Health | Sibongiseni Dhlomo | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Senzo Mchunu | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development and Tourism | Mike Mabuyakhulu | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development | Meshack Radebe | 2011 | 2013 | ANC |
| Lydia Johnson | 2009 | 2011 | ANC | |
| MEC for Human Settlement and Public Works | Ravi Pillay | 2011 | 2013 | ANC |
| Maggie Govender | 2009 | 2011 | ANC | |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Willies Mchunu | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| Bheki Cele | 2009 | 2009 | ANC | |
| MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| Willies Mchunu | 2009 | 2009 | ANC | |
| MEC for Social Development | Weziwe Thusi | 2011 | 2013 | ANC |
| Meshack Radebe | 2009 | 2011 | ANC | |
| MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation | Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha | 2011 | 2013 | ANC |
| Weziwe Thusi | 2009 | 2011 | ANC |
When Senzo Mchunu succeeded Zweli Mkhize as Premier in September 2013, he retained Mkhize's Executive Council but appointed Peggy Nkonyeni to replace himself as MEC for Education.[4] Following the next general election in May 2014, in which Mchunu was elected to a full term as Premier, he again largely preserved the composition of the Executive Council; he made only two new appointments, replacing the MEC for Finance and MEC for Agriculture. He also effected a minor restructuring of the Executive Council, transferring environmental affairs from the Agriculture and Rural Development portfolio to the Economic Development and Tourism portfolio.[5] [6]
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Senzo Mchunu | 2013 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Finance | Belinda Scott | 2014 | 2016 | ANC | |
| Ina Cronje | 2013 | 2014 | ANC | ||
| MEC for Health | Sibongiseni Dhlomo | 2013 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Education | Peggy Nkonyeni | 2013 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Mike Mabuyakhulu | 2014 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Economic Development and Environmental Affairs | Mike Mabuyakhulu | 2013 | 2014 | ANC | |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Cyril Xaba | 2014 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development | Meshack Radebe | 2013 | 2014 | ANC | |
| MEC for Human Settlement and Public Works | Ravi Pillay | 2013 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Willies Mchunu | 2013 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Cooperative and Traditional Affairs | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2013 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Social Development | Weziwe Thusi | 2013 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation | Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
Willies Mchunu replaced Senzo Mchunu as Premier in May 2016 and the following month he announced a reshuffle of the Executive Council, in which he fired four MECs and appointed Mxolisi Kaunda to take over his own former portfolio as MEC for Transport and Community Safety.[7] Senzo Mchunu's supporters described the reshuffle as a purge of politicians who had supported Senzo Mchunu's failed bid to gain re-election as Provincial Chairperson of the governing ANC.
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Willies Mchunu | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Belinda Scott | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Health | Sibongiseni Dhlomo | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Mthandeni Dlungwana | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| Peggy Nkonyeni | 2016 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Sihle Zikalala | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| Mike Mabuyakhulu | 2016 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Themba Mthembu | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| Cyril Xaba | 2016 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Human Settlement and Public Works | Ravi Pillay | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Mxolisi Kaunda | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Cooperative and Traditional Affairs | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Social Development | Weziwe Thusi | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation | Bongi Sithole-Moloi | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha | 2016 | 2016 | ANC |
Pursuant to the May 2019 general election, Sihle Zikalala was elected Premier and announced his new Executive Council.[8] On 11 September 2019, he appointed Bheki Ntuli as MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison; Ntuli succeeded Mxolisi Kaunda, who had left the provincial government to become Mayor of eThekwini.[9] On 17 November 2020, Zikalala announced that Nomusa Dube-Ncube, formerly the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, had swopped portfolios with Ravi Pillay, formerly the MEC for Finance.[10] In January 2021, Ntuli died; he was replaced in March by Peggy Nkonyeni, formerly the MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement, who in turn was replaced by Jomo Sibiya.[11]
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Sihle Zikalala | 2019 | 2022 | ANC | |
| MEC for Finance | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2020 | 2022 | ANC | |
| Ravi Pillay | 2019 | 2020 | ANC | ||
| MEC for Health | Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu | 2019 | 2022 | ANC | |
| MEC for Education | Kwazi Mshengu | 2019 | 2022 | ANC | |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Ravi Pillay | 2020 | 2022 | ANC | |
| Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2019 | 2020 | ANC | ||
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Bongi Sithole-Moloi | 2019 | 2022 | ANC | |
| MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement | Jomo Sibiya | 2021 | 2022 | ANC | |
| Peggy Nkonyeni | 2019 | 2021 | ANC | ||
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Peggy Nkonyeni | 2021 | 2022 | ANC | |
| Bheki Ntuli | 2019 | 2021 | ANC | ||
| Mxolisi Kaunda | 2019 | 2019 | ANC | ||
| MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Sipho Hlomuka | 2019 | 2022 | ANC | |
| MEC for Social Development | Nonhlanhla Khoza | 2019 | 2022 | ANC | |
| MEC for Arts and Culture, Sports and Recreation | Hlengiwe Mavimbela | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
On 10 August 2022, Nomusa Dube-Ncube was elected Premier following Sihle Zikalala's resignation from the office; she announced her new Executive Council the following day, making several significant changes from Zikalala's cabinet.[12] [13] In late January 2023, the ANC announced that Zikalala would resign from his position as MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in order to join the National Assembly;[14] Bongi Sithole-Moloi took over his position in the Executive Council a week later, and Sithole's former portfolio, Agriculture and Rural Development, was in turn filled by Super Zuma.[15] The Executive Council was reshuffled once again on 23 May 2023 to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Amanda Mapena. The MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement Ntuthuko Mahlaba was appointed to succeed Mapena as the MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture while Sipho Nkosi joined the Executive Council and took over Mahlaba's position.[16]
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Peggy Nkonyeni | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Health | Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Mbali Frazer | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Siboniso Duma | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Super Zuma | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| Bongi Sithole-Moloi | 2022 | 2023 | ANC | |
| MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement | Sipho Nkosi | 2023 | 2024 | ANC |
| Ntuthuko Mahlaba | 2022 | 2023 | ANC | |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Sipho Hlomuka | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Bongi Sithole-Moloi | 2023 | 2024 | ANC |
| Sihle Zikalala | 2022 | 2023 | ANC | |
| MEC for Social Development | Nonhlanhla Khoza | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture | Ntuthuko Mahlaba | 2023 | 2024 | ANC |
| Amanda Mapena | 2022 | 2023 | ANC |
No party won a majority of seats in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature in the 2024 provincial election. The African National Congress, previously the party's governing party, collapsed to third place while the newly established uMkhonto weSizwe won a plurality of seats in the legislature. The Inkatha Freedom Party won the second-most seats in the legislature and opted to form a "Provincial Government of Unity" with the ANC, the Democratic Alliance, and the National Freedom Party.[17] The IFP's Thami Ntuli was elected Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, while the ANC and the DA received the Speaker and Deputy Speaker position in the legislature.[18] On 18 June 2024, Ntuli announced his Executive Council comprising four IFP members, three ANC members, two DA members and one NFP member.[19]
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Thami Ntuli | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP | |
| MEC for Finance | Francois Rodgers | 2024 | Incumbent | DA | |
| MEC for Health | Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu | 2024 | Incumbent | ANC | |
| MEC for Education | Sipho Hlomuka | 2024 | Incumbent | ANC | |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Musa Zondi | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP | |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP | |
| MEC for Transport and Human Settlements | Siboniso Duma | 2024 | Incumbent | ANC | |
| MEC for Social Development | Mbali Shinga | 2024 | Incumbent | NFP | |
| MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Thulasizwe Buthelezi | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP | |
| MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure | Martin Meyer | 2024 | Incumbent | DA | |
| MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture | Mntomuhle Khawula | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP |