Lindiwe Mazibuko

Lindiwe Mazibuko
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of South Africa
In office
27 October 2011 – 6 May 2014
Leader Helen Zille
Preceded by Athol Trollip
Succeeded by Mmusi Maimane
Member of Parliament
for North Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
In office
6 May 2009 – 21 May 2014
Personal details
Born 9 April 1980
Nationality South African
Political party Democratic Alliance
Alma mater University of Cape Town

Lindiwe Mazibuko (born 9 April 1980) is a South African politician and the former Parliamentary Leader for the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA).[1][2] She is the country's fourth youngest parliamentarian after the African National Congress's Mduduzi Manana, Congress of the People's Luzelle Adams and her DA colleague Masizole Mnqasela,[2] and has varyingly been labelled a "rising star in Parliament" and a possible future DA leader.[3][4] She was elected the new DA parliamentary leader on 27 October 2011,[5][6] beating incumbent Athol Trollip in a tight race.[7]

Mazibuko has temporarily resigned from her position as DA Parliamentary Leader, as announced by her on 11 May 2014, to study at Harvard University in the United States for a year. She mentioned that her resignation had nothing to do with differences within the Democratic Alliance, but that it would improve what she could offer the party politically. [8]

Background

After matriculating at St Mary's DSG Kloof, Lindiwe Mazibuko chose to further her studies at university. A graduate of the University of Cape Town, Mazibuko wrote a paper on the Democratic Alliance after then party leader Tony Leon stepped down in 2006.[9] Upon graduating Mazibuko took up a post in the DA as the party's media liaison officer in Parliament.[10]

Labelled a "star performer" by party leader Helen Zille,[11] Mazibuko became a parliamentary candidate for the party in the 2009 general elections. She appeared third on the DA's KwaZulu-Natal list,[12] thus qualifying for a seat in Parliament as the DA retained its status as official opposition.[2] She was subsequently appointed as the DA's Shadow Deputy Minister of Communications, and also succeeded Donald Lee as the party's National Spokesperson.[1]

In December 2013 Mazibuko appeared on a special edition of the BBC’s Question Time, broadcast from Johannesburg. Other panelists on the show included Peter Hain, Andile Mngxitama, Eusebius McKaiser and Pik Botha. The main focus of the show was the legacy of Nelson Mandela.[13][14]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "DA shadow cabinet - full list of names".
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "National List MPs" (PDF).
  3. ↑ Rossouw, Mandy (26 September 2009). "Being black in the DA". Mail & Guardian.
  4. ↑ Terreblanche, Christelle (13 May 2010), "DA MP challenges Zuma", IOL – Independent Online, retrieved 22 August 2008
  5. ↑ #BreakingNews Lindiwe Mazibuko has been elected the new DA parliamentary leader on Twitter
  6. ↑ Rice, Catherine (27 October 2011). "Mazibuko wins top DA post". Eye Witness News.
  7. ↑ Grootes, Stephen (27 October 2011). "DA Parliamentary leader post to be announced". Eye Witness News.
  8. ↑ "Mazibuko quits DA job".
  9. ↑ Webb, Boyd (6 May 2008), "Black, young and gifted...", The Star, retrieved 22 August 2008
  10. ↑ Mabanga, Thebe (30 January 2009). "DA PARTY LIST: A varied selection". Financial Mail.
  11. ↑ Davis, Gaye (25 January 2009). "DA unveils fresh faces". IOL – Independent Online.
  12. ↑ "The DA's candidates for the 2009 elections". Politicsweb. 25 January 2009.
  13. ↑
  14. ↑

Offices held

Political offices
Preceded by
Dene Smuts		 South African Shadow Deputy Minister of Communications
2009–2012 		Succeeded by
Niekie van den Berg
Preceded by
Donald Lee		 National Spokesperson for the Opposition
2009–2011 		Succeeded by
Mmusi Maimane
Preceded by
Athol Trollip		 Parliamentary Leader for the Opposition
27 October 2011 - 21 May 2014 		Succeeded by
Mmusi Maimane