Salie Manie Explained

Party:African National Congress
Office1:Member of the National Assembly
Termstart1:9 May 1994
Termend1:1 March 2007
Citizenship:South Africa
Birth Date:21 February 1949
Birth Place:District Six, Cape Town
Cape Province, Union of South Africa
Birth Name:Moegammad Salie Manie

Moegammad Saliegh Manie (born 21 February 1949) is a retired South African politician and former trade unionist. He rose to political prominence during the 1980s as a leading figure in the Cape Town Municipal Workers' Association and South African Municipal Workers' Union. Later he represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly from 1994 until his resignation in 2007.

Early life and career

Manie was born on 21 February 1949[1] in Cape Town's District Six.[2] He was the eldest of six children and his family survived mainly on a government grant after his father suffered a serious accident and was unable to work. He was significantly influenced by his mother, who was a religious instructor at the local mosque; in 1992, he described himself as both a Muslim and a socialist.

After finishing high school, Manie began work as an accounts clerk and then as a radio and television technician. He later opened his own repair shop. He sold the shop after eight years, planning to begin an undergraduate degree, but while waiting to enroll he took up work at the Cape Town City Council.

Union career

Within six months of beginning work at the council, Manie was elected as a shop steward for the Cape Town Municipal Workers' Association (CTMWA), which during this period – the 1980s – was renowned for his militant opposition to apartheid. Six months later, Manie was elected vice president of CTMWA.

When the union merged with others to create the South African Municipal Workers' Union (SAMWU), he became an influential member of the new formation. He also served on the economic and development task force of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, in which capacity he was involved in devising the Reconstruction and Development Programme, and he was vice-chairperson of the local government negotiating forum during the democratic transition.[3]

Legislative career

In South Africa's first post-apartheid elections in 1994, Manie was elected to represent the ANC in the National Assembly, the lower house of the new South African Parliament.[4] During the legislative term that followed, he chaired Parliament's committee on public service and administration.[5] [6] He also manned one of the ANC's constituency offices in Cape Town, with a constituency covering Bo-Kaap and the City Bowl.[7]

At an early stage of the term, in September 1994, Manie was viewed as a frontrunner to succeed Allan Boesak as provincial chairperson of the ANC's Western Cape branch. Amid intense competition between Boesak, Tony Yengeni, and Chris Nissen, Manie told the press that he was "not prepared to be part of a dogfight", but he was viewed as a possible compromise candidate because of his union background. When the party elective conference was held, Boesak bowed out and Nissen defeated Manie and Yengeni to win the position.[8]

During his second term in Parliament, which began in 1999, Manie chaired the Portfolio Committee on Labour.[9] He remained in that position after the 2004 general election.[10] However, midway through the legislative term, on 1 March 2007, he resigned from his seat in the National Assembly.[11]

Personal life

Manie is married and has three children.

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: 2019-11-19 . Sallie Manie, the leader in the Cape Town municipal strike in 1990 . 2023-05-12 . South Africa Labour Bulletin . en-US.
  3. Web site: 1994-09-02 . New ANC Cape Leader Expected . 2023-05-12 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  4. Book: South Africa: Campaign and Election Report April 26–29, 1994 . . 1994 . 13 April 2023 . Yumpu.
  5. Web site: 1997-06-11 . Law change will allow affirmative action in govt . 2023-05-12 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  6. Web site: 1996-12-13 . State faces big pay-offs . 2023-05-12 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  7. News: 21 February 2000 . ANC duo aims to 'unite' Muslims, Jews . IOL . 12 May 2023.
  8. Web site: 1994-09-16 . ANC Changes Tone In The Cape . 2023-05-12 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  9. Web site: 2001-10-26 . Labour Act delayed again . 2023-05-12 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  10. Web site: 2004-05-06 . ANC man to head key fiscal watchdog . 2023-05-12 . The Mail & Guardian . en-ZA.
  11. Web site: 2009-01-15 . National Assembly Members . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090514071402/http://www.pmg.org.za/parlinfo/nalist#_ftnref87 . 14 May 2009 . 2023-04-08 . Parliamentary Monitoring Group.