Thandi Modise

Thandi Modise (born 25 December 1959, Vryburg)^[1] is a South African politician, currently serving as chairperson of the National Council of Provinces.^[2]

She left South Africa in 1976 to join the African National Congress and received training in Angola. She returned to South Africa in 1978 as an Umkhonto weSizwe operative.^[1] She was arrested and imprisoned in 1979, becoming the first woman in South Africa to be jailed for MK activities.^[1]

She served as the Premier of North West from 19 November 2010 to 21 May 2014, when she was replaced by Supra Mahumapelo, also from the ANC, after the 2014 general election.

Controversy

In July 2014, the NSPCA discovered a number of dead animals, including chickens, pigs, goats and geese, on a farm owned by Modise in Modderfontein, outside Potchefstroom in the North West Province. It was apparent that the animals had gone without food and water for more than a week, and 85 remaining pigs on the farm had resorted to cannibalising 58 dead pigs.^[3] No workers were present on the property. North West Police confirmed on 7 July that she will face charges of animal cruelty in violation of the Animal Protection Act. She responded to the claims by stating that she was "learning"^[4] how to farm, and that she had appointed a farm manager, but he had abandoned his duties to attend to a family matter.^[5] Approximately four months later, it was reported that conditions on the farm had improved, that Modise's cattle had been receiving sufficient food and were in an "acceptable condition".^[6]

References