Lenah Miga Explained

Office:Deputy Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature
Termstart:24 January 2023
Termend:28 May 2024
Predecessor:Viola Motsumi
Successor:Tshepo Khoza
Office2:Member of the North West Provincial Legislature
Termstart2:September 2020
Term End2:May 2024
Office3:Member of the North West Executive Council for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs
Premier3:
Termstart3:August 2021
Termend3:November 2022
Predecessor3:Mmoloki Cwaile
Successor3:Nono Maloyi
Party:African National Congress
Citizenship:South Africa

Nomtsama Lenah Miga is a South African politician who served as a Member of the North West Provincial Legislature from September 2020 until May 2024. From January 2024 until May 2024, she served as the deputy speaker of the provincial legislature. She was formerly the North West's Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs from August 2021 until November 2022, when she was fired by Bushy Maape.

Miga is a member of the African National Congress (ANC) and by 2020 had served as the Provincial Secretary of the ANC Women's League in the North West; she was also formerly the Executive Mayor of the Mahikeng Local Municipality.[1] [2] In September 2020, she was sworn in to the North West Provincial Legislature, filling a casual vacancy created by the death of Gordon Kegakilwe[3] – she had been ranked 23rd on the ANC's party list in the 2019 general election and therefore had not initially won election to a legislative seat.[4]

In August 2021, she was appointed to the North West Executive Council by Job Mokgoro, then the Premier of the North West; she succeeded Mmoloki Cwaile as MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs.[5] The opposition Democratic Alliance objected to her appointment because of what it characterised as her poor record as Mahikeng mayor.[6] While MEC, in August 2022, Miga ran unsuccessfully for election as Provincial Treasurer of the ANC's North West branch; she lost in a vote to Sello Lehari, earning 280 votes to Lehari's 380.[7] Three months later, on 21 November 2022, she was fired from the Executive Council and replaced by Nono Maloyi in a cabinet reshuffle announced by Bushy Maape, who had succeeded Mokgoro as Premier.[8] During a sitting of the legislature on 24 January 2023, Miga was elected as the deputy speaker of the provincial legislature, succeeding Viola Motsumi.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020-09-29 . 'Former Mahikeng mayor replaces the late MEC Kegakilwe' . 2023-01-12 . TaungDailyNews . en.
  2. Web site: 2021-08-12 . Mixed reactions from parties in North West following firing of MEC Cwaile . 2023-01-11 . SABC News . en-US.
  3. Web site: 2021-08-26 . North West premier Job Mokgoro resigns . 2023-01-12 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  4. Web site: Nomtsama Lenah Miga . 2023-01-12 . People's Assembly . en.
  5. Web site: Sefularo . Masechaba . 13 August 2021 . Lenah Miga replaces Mmoloki Cwaile as NW Coghsta MEC . 2023-01-12 . EWN . en.
  6. Web site: 6 October 2020 . Inauguration of Lenah Miga to the NWPL a mere stunt to strengthen the dominant ANC faction within the province . 2023-01-12 . Democratic Alliance – North West.
  7. Web site: 15 August 2022 . ANC North West announces its top five following conference . 2023-01-11 . IOL . en.
  8. Web site: Montsho . Molaole . 10 December 2022 . ANC North West deputy chair sworn in as MPL . 2023-01-12 . IOL . en.
  9. News: Montsho . Molaole . DA slams election of 'weak' ANC MPLs to key positions in the North West Legislature . en . 2023-02-02.