Mxolisa Sokatsha Explained

Mxolisa Sokatsha
Office1:Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
Term Start1:22 May 2019
Term End1:25 March 2022
Office2:Northern Cape MEC for Roads and Public Works
Premier2:Sylvia Lucas
Term Start2:1 June 2017
Term End2:7 May 2019
Predecessor2:Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba
Term Start3:1 March 2016
Term End3:10 May 2017
Premier3:Sylvia Lucas
Predecessor3:Dawid Rooi
Successor3:Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba
Office4:Northern Cape MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture
Premier4:Sylvia Lucas
Term Start4:10 May 2017
Term End4:1 June 2017
Predecessor4:Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba
Successor4:Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba
Office5:Northern Cape MEC for Social Development
Premier5:Sylvia Lucas
Term Start5:30 May 2014
Term End5:1 March 2016
Predecessor5:Tiny Chotelo
Successor5:Gift van Staden
Office6:Northern Cape MEC for Health
Premier6:Sylvia Lucas
Hazel Jenkins
Term Start6:12 May 2009
Term End6:30 May 2014
Successor6:Mac Jack
Office7:Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature
Term Start7:2003
Term End7:2019
Birthname:Mxolisa Simon Sokatsha
Birth Date:7 January 1965
Birth Place:Richmond, Cape Province, South Africa
Death Place:Belmont, Northern Cape, South Africa
Nationality:South African
Party:African National Congress
Children:3

Mxolisa Simon Sokatsha (7 January 196525 March 2022) was a South African accountant, educator and politician. A member of the African National Congress, he was a Member of the Executive Council in the Northern Cape from 2009 to 2019 and a Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature from 2003 to 2019. In 2019 he was elected to the South African National Assembly.

Early life and career

Mxolisa Simon Sokatsha was born on 7 January 1965 in the town of Richmond, then part of South Africa's Cape Province.[1] He attended high school in Dimbaza, northwest of King William's Town. He obtained a teacher's diploma in 1990. Sokatsha worked as a teacher in Graaff-Reinet and Richmond in the early-1990s.

Political career

During the 1980s, Sokatsha was involved in the establishment of the Midlands and Karoo Youth Congress. He served as the chairperson of the South African Students Congress and SANTISCO. He was the site chairperson of the South African Democratic Trade Union in Graaff-Reinet and Richmond. Sokatsha served as the first post-apartheid mayor of Richmond between 1994 and 1996. He was also the chairperson of the ANC's Pixley ka Seme region for three terms. From 1997 to 1999, he was an accountant of the Pixley ka Seme District Municipality.

Provincial government

In 2003, Sokatsha was sworn in as a Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature. He was appointed chairperson of the legislature's education committee, a post held until after the 2004 general election, when he was named chief whip of the ANC caucus.

After the 2009 general election, premier Hazel Jenkins appointed him Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Health. He was sworn in on 12 May 2009.[2] Sylvia Lucas was elected premier in June 2013, and she retained him in his post.[3] Lucas appointed him MEC for Social Development on 30 May 2014, following the 2014 general election. He succeeded Tiny Chotelo, while Mac Jack succeeded him as MEC for Health.[4] On 1 March 2016, Lucas reshuffled her executive, in which she appointed Sokatsha to the Roads and Public Works portfolio, succeeding Dawid Rooi. Gift van Staden became the new MEC for Social Development.[5] [6] On 10 May 2017 Lucas reshuffled her executive again and named him the MEC for Arts, Sports and Culture, succeeding Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba.[7] He briefly held the position until 1 June, when Lucas rescinded her decision, returning him to the Roads and Public Works portfolio.[8]

Sokatsha was nominated to the National Assembly of South Africa following the 2019 general election and took office as an MP on 22 May 2019.[9] He served on the Portfolio Committee on Health.[10]

Death

Sokatsha died in a car accident, 20 kilometers outside Belmont in the Northern Cape on the N12 on 25 March 2022.[11] Northern Cape police opened a culpable homicide case.[12]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MEC Mxolisi Sokatsha. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200821184055/http://pstf.ncpg.gov.za/index.php/about-us/executive-council/49-executive-council/profile/63-profile-of-mec-ms-sokatsha. 21 August 2020. 21 August 2020. Northern Cape Province.
  2. Web site: Tshivhidzo. Edwin. Northern Cape MECs announced. 21 August 2020. South African Government News Agency. 11 March 2013. Kimberley.
  3. News: Mokoena. Michael. 5 June 2013. No surprises in N Cape reshuffle. Independent Online. Kimberley. 21 August 2020.
  4. Web site: Premier Sylvia Lucas' formal announcement of Members of the Northern Cape Provincial Executive Council, Provincial Legislature, Kimberley. 21 August 2020. Government of South Africa.
  5. News: Mere. Boipelo. 2 March 2016. NC council reshuffled. News24. 21 August 2020.
  6. News: Wildenboer. Norma. 1 March 2016. No surprises in reshuffle. Diamond Fields Advertiser. 21 August 2020.
  7. News: Mthukwane. Ntozakhe. 10 May 2017. Urgent reshuffle in Northern Cape cabinet. News24. 22 August 2020.
  8. News: Makhafola. Getrude. 1 June 2017. Sylvia Lucas to rescind cabinet reshuffle decision. Independent Online. Johannesburg. 22 August 2020.
  9. Web site: SEE: These are the people who will represent you in Parliament, provincial legislatures . 27 March 2022 . News24 . en-US.
  10. Web site: Portfolio Committee on Health. 21 August 2020. Parliament of South Africa.
  11. Web site: 26 March 2022 . ANC and Parliament mourn passing of MP Mxolisi Sokatsha . 27 March 2022 . The Citizen . en.
  12. Web site: 26 March 2022 . ANC MP Mxolisi Sokatsha dies in an accident, Northern Cape police open culpable homicide case . 27 March 2022 . SABC News . en-US.