Zanele Sifuba Explained

Zanele Sifuba
Honorific-Suffix:MPL
Office:Member of the Free State Executive Council for Sports, Arts, Culture & Recreation
Premier:Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae
Term Start:23 June 2024
Predecessor:Limakatso Mahasa
Office1:Speaker of the Free State Provincial Legislature
Deputy1:Lucy Mapena
Term Start1:22 May 2019
Term End1:23 June 2024
Predecessor1:Mamiki Qabathe
Successor1:Mxolisi Dukwana
Office2:Member of the Free State Provincial Legislature
Term Start2:22 May 2019
Nationality:South African
Party:African National Congress
Children:3
Alma Mater:Vista University
Central University of Technology
University of the Free State
Profession:Politician

Ntombizanele Beauty Sifuba is a South African politician and educator who has been the Member of the Free State executive Council for Sports, Arts, Culture & Recreation since 2024 and a member of the Free State Provincial Legislature since 2019. She served as the speaker of the provincial legislature between 2019 and 2024. Sifuba is a member of the African National Congress.

Education

In 1988, Sifuba obtained a bachelor of arts in education from Vista University.[1] From the Central University of Technology, she holds a bachelor of psychology. In 2017, Sifuba attained a postgraduate diploma in governance and political transformation from the University of the Free State. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in the same field.

Career

Teaching career

Sifuba worked as a teacher from 1999 to 2019. She also worked as the deputy director responsible for monitoring and evaluation at the provincial Department of Social Development.

Political career

In 1995, she was elected deputy secretary of the African National Congress in the party's President Steyn region. She also held leadership positions in the South African Democratic Teachers Union. Sifuba was the deputy provincial chairperson of COSATU. Sifuba is currently a member of the ANC's subcommittees on economic development and gender and equity.

In March 2019, Sifuba was placed twelfth on the ANC's provincial list.[2] She was elected as the ANC won 19 seats in the Free State Provincial Legislature. Sifuba was sworn in as an MPL on 22 May 2019. On the same day, she was elected speaker.[3] She was re-elected as speaker after the 2024 provincial election.[4] Shortly afterwards, Sifuba was appointed as the Member of the Executive Council responsible for Sports, Arts, Culture & Recreation.[5]

Controversy

In November 2022, Sifuba appeared in a sex tape that was shared widely on social media. Sifuba opened a case against the person who shared the video, while her office did not respond to the video. She refused to identify the person to the police.[6] [7]

Notes and References

  1. News: Fouche . Lani . Women on the Move: Meet the Speaker of the FS Legislature, Ntombizanele Sifuba . 13 October 2020 . Get It Bloemfontein . 22 August 2019.
  2. Web site: ANC national and provincial lists for 2019 elections . Politicsweb . 13 October 2020 . 17 March 2019.
  3. News: Morapela . Katleho . Ntombela, Sifuba, and Tshabalala emerge victorious in FS Legislature . 13 October 2020 . OFM.
  4. Web site: OFM . Voormalige Vrystaatse LUR onbestrede as premier verkies . 2024-06-14 . OFM.
  5. Web site: OFM . Women dominate Free State Premier's executive council . 2024-07-01 . OFM.
  6. Web site: Maromo . Jonisayi . Point of order! Sharing of Free State Speaker’s sex video condemned . 2022-11-23 . www.iol.co.za . en.
  7. Web site: Mdakane . Bongani . 2022-11-09 . Free State speaker opens civil claim case following leaked video . 2022-11-23 . Sunday World . en-ZA.