Omie Singh Explained

Party:African National Congress (since March 2003)
Office:Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests
Alongside:Amos Masondo and Humphrey Maxegwana
Termstart:8 July 2014
Termend:7 May 2019
Predecessor:Buoang Mashile
Successor:Lydia Moshodi
Office2:Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature
Termstart2:October 2001
Termend2:May 2014
Birth Date:22 June 1957
Birth Name:Aumsensingh Singh
Birth Place:Durban, Natal Province
Union of South Africa
Otherparty:Democratic Party (until March 2003)
Office1:Delegate to the National Council of Provinces
Constituency Am1:KwaZulu-Natal
Termstart1:22 May 2014
Termend1:7 May 2019
Office3:Member of the National Assembly
Termstart3:June 1999
Termend3:1 October 2001
Constituency3:KwaZulu-Natal

Aumsensingh "Omie" Singh (born 22 June 1957) is a South African politician and businessman from KwaZulu-Natal. From 2014 to 2019, he represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Council of Provinces, where he co-chaired Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests. Before that, he served in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature from 2001 to 2014 and in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2001. Having entered politics as a member of the Democratic Party (DP), he joined the ANC by floor-crossing in March 2003.

Early life and career

Born on 22 June 1957[1] in Durban, Singh attended Chatsworth High School.[2] He joined the Progressive Federal Party, a predecessor to the DP, in 1986.[3] He was a businessman until he became involved in frontline politics after the end of apartheid.

Legislative career

Singh was a local councillor for the DP in Durban until the 1999 general election,[4] when he was elected to a DP seat in the KwaZulu-Natal caucus of the National Assembly.[5] He served in the seat for a little over two years, leaving on 1 October 2001 to join the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, where he swopped seats with Mark Lowe.

In March 2003, while he was serving in the provincial legislature, Singh became the first public representative to take advantage of that month's floor-crossing window, announcing that he had resigned from the DP in order to join the ANC. He reportedly disagreed with the DP's decision to cooperate more closely with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).[6] [7] He served the rest of the legislative term under the ANC banner[8] and was re-elected to a full term in the seat, on the ANC's party list, in the 2004 general election.[9] He was re-elected in 2009.[10]

In the 2014 general election, Singh was elected to the KwaZulu-Natal caucus of the National Council of Provinces. He served a single term there and co-chaired Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests.[11] He left Parliament after the 2019 general election[12] and retired from frontline politics,[13] though he was active as president of the KwaZulu-Natal International Business Association,[14] as well as active in community organising in Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal.[15]

Notes and References

  1. 11 June 1999 . General Notice: Notice 1319 of 1999 – Electoral Commission: Representatives Elected to the Various Legislatures . . Pretoria, South Africa . . 408 . 20203 . 26 March 2021.
  2. Web site: Aumsensingh Singh . 2023-05-18 . People's Assembly . en.
  3. Web site: 25 February 2018 . Singh sticks to reconciliation agenda . 2023-05-18 . Sunday Tribune . PressReader.
  4. Web site: 1999-05-28 . Parties appeal to Indian fears . 2023-05-18 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  5. 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.
  6. Web site: 2003-03-21 . DA member jumps ship to ANC . 2023-05-18 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  7. Web site: Zulu . Mandla . 22 March 2003 . Buthelezi wants ANC MEC's out . 2023-05-18 . News24 . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2003-11-21 . Alliance split over election list . 2023-05-18 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  9. 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.
  10. Web site: 29 April 2009 . KwaZulu-Natal MPLs elected April 22 . 2023-02-01 . Politicsweb . en.
  11. Web site: 2018-05-31 . Parly disciplinary hearings loom for Bongo, Manana . 2023-05-18 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  12. News: 17 May 2019 . ANC sheds 19 seats, but ‘tainted’ remain . IOL . 18 May 2023.
  13. News: 23 May 2021 . Sending India a breath of fresh air . IOL . 18 May 2023.
  14. Web site: 2022-03-08 . KIBA: Two years and still going strong . 2023-05-18 . Rising Sun Overport . en-US.
  15. News: 19 March 2023 . Phoenix community ‘ready to defend themselves’ against threats of violence . IOL . 18 May 2023.