Fébé Potgieter-Gqubule

Potgieter-Gqubule was born in Humansdorp, a small town in what is now the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.{{Cite web |last=Makhafola |first=Getrude |date=2022-11-25 |title=Fébé Potgieter-Gqubule's ready for ANC top six after trying to 'professionalise Luthuli-House' |url=https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/politics/potgieter-gqubule-lauded-for-work-24-november-2022/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=The Citizen |language=en}} She has five siblings.{{Cite web |date=2020-06-30 |title='We owe it to the students of '76 to stop being greedy and reflect a leadership exhibited during apartheid' |url=https://www.careersmagazine.co.za/2020/06/30/welma-mashinini-redd-we-owe-it-to-the-students-of-76-to-stop-being-greedy-and-reflect-a-leadership-style-exhibited-during-apartheid/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=Careers Magazine |language=en-US}} She was in grade three at Kruisfontein Primary School during the Soweto uprising of 1976 and matriculated in another Humansdorp school during the 1980s, in a period marked by anti-apartheid school boycotts. She was head girl at her high school and was involved in founding a student representative council.{{Cite web |date=2011 |title=TSiBA's Leadership Development Perspectives: Febe Potgieter-Gqubule, Member of the ANC National Executive Committee |url=https://dgmt.co.za/tsibas-leadership-development-perspectives-febe-potgieter-gqubule-member-of-the-anc-national-executive-committee/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=DGMT: The Human Factor |language=en}} While at the University of the Western Cape, she became further involved in student politics, especially through the South African Youth Congress. She has identified Cheryl Carolus of the United Democratic Front and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of the African National Congress (ANC) as among her role models in political leadership.

Potigeter-Gqubule has a Master's degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, with her research focused on youth labour market policy and institutions in Gauteng,{{Cite web |date=7 April 2015 |title=AU Commission Chairperson appoints Chief of Staff and Deputy |url=https://au.int/ar/node/25795 |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=African Union}} .

In 1994, Potgieter-Gqubule was elected as Deputy Secretary-General of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL), deputising Mpho Lekgoro in a leadership corps headed by ANCYL President Lulu Johnson.{{Cite journal |date=1994 |title=Mokaba comes of age |url=https://www.sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/archive-files4/Mav5n1Feb94.pdf |journal=Mayibuye |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=7 |access-date=12 April 2023}} At the next league elective conference in 1996, she was elected as the first{{Cite web |date=2010-09-23 |title=Minding the ANC gender gap |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2010-09-23-minding-the-anc-gender-gap/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} female Secretary-General of the ANCYL, under President Malusi Gigaba.{{Cite journal |date=1 April 1996 |title=Some New Lions In The National Executive |url=https://www.anc1912.org.za/mayibuye-volume-7-no-3/ |journal=Mayibuye |volume=7 |issue=3}}

She subsequently worked full-time for the ANC between 1998 and 2004, serving at the party's headquarters at Luthuli House in Johannesburg as the national coordinator of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the mainstream ANC.{{Cite web |title=Biography: Ms Fébé Potgieter-Gqubule |url=https://static.pmg.org.za/Potgieter-Gqubule_Febbe_Mrs.pdf |access-date=17 December 2022 |website=Parliamentary Monitoring Group}} She was South African ambassador to Poland under President Thabo Mbeki from 2005 to 2009.{{Cite web |date=21 March 2019 |title=SA foreign services should be 'professionalised again' – former ambassador |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/sa-foreign-services-should-be-professionalised-again-former-ambassador-20190321 |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} She also represented the ANC in Parliament for a period{{Cite web |date=2017-10-17 |title=Zuma appoints new SABC board |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2017-10-17-zuma-appoints-new-sabc-board/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} and became involved in the leadership of the party's Women's League.

She served variously as chairperson of the board of the Lejweleputswa Development Agency, a local development agency in Lejweleputswa, Free State; as a member of the founding board of governors of the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection, a think tank (2010–2013); and as a member of the council of the Mangosuthu University of Technology (2012–2014). In March 2010, she was appointed Deputy Chairperson of the board of the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), a state-owned enterprise.{{Cite web |date=12 March 2010 |title=New appointments to the SITA board {{!}} South African Government |url=https://www.gov.za/new-appointments-sita-board |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=South African Government}} She became acting chairperson at the end of August 2011, following the expiry of the term of Chairperson Zodwa Manase,{{Cite web |last=Rasool |first=Farzana |date=2011-09-28 |title=SITA hunts for new chairperson |url=https://www.itweb.co.za/content/DZQ58vV6PjDvzXy2 |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=ITWeb |language=en}} and remained in that capacity until November 2012, when she and the rest of the board stepped down in order to recuse themselves fully while the Special Investigating Unit concluded an investigation into allegations of procurement irregularities at SITA.{{Cite web |last=Mawson |first=Nicola |date=2012-11-23 |title=SITA board steps down |url=https://www.itweb.co.za/content/nG98YdMLBDzvX2PD |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=ITWeb |language=en}}

In October 2012, she moved to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, when she was appointed Advisor for Strategy and Planning to the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, an office held at that time by Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, a South African. In April 2015, Dlamini-Zuma appointed Potgieter-Gqubule as the Deputy Chief of Staff in her office when the incumbent, Jennifer Chiriga, was promoted to Chief of Staff.{{Cite web |date=9 April 2015 |title=Top AU post for Zim academic |url=https://www.herald.co.zw/top-au-post-for-zim-academic/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=The Herald |language=en-GB}} Potgieter-Gqubule left the AU Commission in March 2017, shortly after Dlamini-Zuma's own departure.

The same month, back in South Africa, she was appointed as a member of the interim board of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).{{Cite web |date=2 March 2018 |title=SABC deputy chair resigns to take up ANC post |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-03-02-sabc-deputy-chair-resigns-to-take-up-anc-post/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=Sowetan |language=en-ZA}} In October that year, President Jacob Zuma appointed her deputy chairperson on the permanent board, under Chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini. Opposition parties, especially the Democratic Alliance,{{Cite web |last=Van Damme |first=Phumzile |author-link=Phumzile van Damme |date=17 October 2017 |title=New SABC board Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson are close allies to President Zuma and his family |url=https://www.da.org.za/2017/10/new-sabc-board-chairperson-deputy-chairperson-close-allies-president-zuma-family/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=Democratic Alliance |language=en}} expressed concern about her appointment, given what they perceived as her close political links to the ANC and to Dlamini-Zuma in particular. At that time the Business Day described her as a "close ally" of Dlamini-Zuma, and she was an adviser on Dlamini-Zuma's campaign to become ANC President at the party's 54th National Conference in December 2017.{{Cite web |last=Cowan |first=Kyle |date=18 October 2017 |title=SABC board's Zuma links arouse suspicion |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2017-10-18-sabc-boards-zuma--links-arouse-suspicion/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=Sunday Times |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |date=18 October 2017 |title=New SABC chairman Makhathini quits Zuma's wife's foundation |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/media/2017-10-18-new-sabc-chairman-makhathini-quits-zumas-wifes-foundation/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=Business Day |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |date=21 August 2019 |title=NDZ refuses to comment on campaign funding: Nothing will move her to comment, says rep |url=https://www.polity.org.za/article/ndz-refuses-to-comment-on-campaign-funding-nothing-will-move-her-to-comment-says-rep-2019-08-21 |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=Polity |language=en |agency=News24}}

In March 2018, Potgieter-Gqubule resigned from the SABC board to take up the position of General Manager at the ANC ahead of its campaign in the 2019 general election.{{Cite web |last=Mulaudzi |first=Tendani |date=1 March 2018 |title=SABC deputy board chair Febe Potgieter-Gqubule resigns |url=https://ewn.co.za/2018/03/01/sabc-deputy-board-chair-febe-potgieter-gqubule-resigns |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=EWN |language=en}} The job was based out of the ANC's headquarters at Luthuli House and was incompatible with the SABC directorship because of a potential conflict of interest.{{Cite web |date=1 March 2018 |title=Febe Potgieter-Gqubule appointed ANC elections GM |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/febe-potgieter-gqubule-appointed-anc-elections-gm-13550118 |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=IOL |language=en}} She held the managerial position during a period in which the ANC experienced substantial financial difficulties, and she led an internal party process to restructure and "resize" the party machinery, including through staff retrenchment.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-18 |title=ANC begs staff to be flexible with their go-slow to help meet IEC deadline |url=https://mg.co.za/politics/2021-08-18-anc-begs-staff-to-be-flexible-with-their-go-slow-to-help-meet-iec-deadline/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} As of 2022, she was also a member of the board of the ANC's political education school, the O. R. Tambo School of Leadership.{{Cite web |title=Fébé Potgieter-Gqubule |url=https://www.ortamboschool.org.za/our_team/christian/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=OR Tambo School of Leadership |language=en-US}}

At the ANC's 52nd National Conference in December 2007, Potgieter-Gqubule was elected to the top executive organ of the ANC, the NEC. Of the 80 candidates elected, she was ranked 17th by number of votes received.{{Cite web |date=20 December 2007 |title=National Executive Committee as elected |url=https://www.anc1912.org.za/national-executive-committee-as-elected/ |access-date=17 December 2022 |website=African National Congress}} She declined a nomination to stand for re-election to the ANC NEC at the party's 53rd National Conference in December 2012,{{Cite web |date=2012-12-20 |title=Full list of 80 newly elected additional members of the ANC NEC |url=https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/full-list-of-80-newly-elected-additional-members-of-the-anc-nec/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=SABC News |language=en-US}} although she was considered a favourite for re-election.{{Cite web |date=9 December 2012 |title=Pro and anti factions jostle for NEC places |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/2012-12-09-pro-and-anti-factions-jostle-for-nec-places/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=Sunday Times |language=en-ZA}}

Ahead of the party's 54th National Conference, Potgieter-Gqubule was herself nominated for one of the party's top leadership positions, the post of Deputy Secretary-General; the ''Sunday Times' identified her candidacy as part of an informal slate aligned not to Dlamini-Zuma but to Baleka Mbete, who was contesting with Dlamini-Zuma for the presidency.{{Cite web |date=15 January 2017 |title=Mbete joins the race for ANC presidency |url=https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/150549/mbete-joins-the-race-for-anc-presidency/ |access-date=17 December 2022 |website=BusinessTech}} It was also reported that Potgieter-Gqubule had been mentioned as a leadership candidate in meetings of a lobby group which sought to install "young" persons (under 60) in top party offices.{{Cite web |date=2017-05-26 |title=Push for younger top six ANC leaders |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2017-05-26-00-push-for-younger-top-six-anc-leaders/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} However, Potgieter-Gqubule declined the nomination for Deputy Secretary-General or any other positions on the NEC,{{Cite web |date=2017-12-18 |title=Mkhize's move touted as a boost for NDZ |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2017-12-18-00-unity-no-its-divisive-slate-politics/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |last=Maduna |first=Motlalepula |date=2017-12-18 |title=Why I am declining nominations – Potgieter-Gqubule |url=https://www.power987.co.za/news/why-i-am-declining-nominations-potgieter-gqubule/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=Power 98.7 |language=en-US}}

In the run-up to the ANC's 55th National Conference in December 2022, Potgieter-Gqubule was again touted as a possible candidate for the Deputy Secretary-General position, this time as part of a slate aligned to incumbent ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa.{{Cite web |last=Madia |first=Tshidi |date=13 October 2022 |title=Ramaphosa supporters say proposed slate for top six has hard-working individuals |url=https://ewn.co.za/2022/10/13/ramaphosa-supporters-say-proposed-slate-for-top-six-has-hard-working-individuals |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=EWN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Hunter |first=Juniour Khumalo and Qaanitah |date=11 October 2022 |title=Inside CR22 caucus' contentious line-up: Mchunu and Mbalula tipped for powerful ANC posts |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/politics/political-parties/inside-cr22-caucus-contentious-line-up-mchunu-and-mbalula-tipped-for-powerful-anc-posts-20221011 |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} Although endorsed by the Provincial Executive Committee of the Northern Cape ANC for the Secretary-General position,{{Cite web |last=Masuabi |first=Queenin |date=2022-10-11 |title=ANC general manager Fébé Potgieter remains coy on secretary-general nominations |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-10-11-anc-general-manager-febe-potgieter-remains-coy-on-secretary-general-nominations/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}} she was formally nominated for the Deputy Secretary-General position by local party branches. Though she received fewer nominations than the other candidate, Nomvula Mokonyane,{{cite web |date=2017-11-22 |title=ANC elective conference: These are the leading contenders for top six positions |url=https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/politics/anc-elective-conference-top-six-positions-november-2022/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=Citizen |publisher=}} her candidacy received the support of the national leadership of the ANC Women's League despite Mokonyane's own status as a league stalwart.{{Cite web |last=AmaShabalala |first=Mawande |date=7 November 2022 |title=ANC Women's League abandons Dlamini-Zuma for Ramaphosa |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2022-11-07-anc-womens-league-abandons-dlamini-zuma-for-ramaphosa/ |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=Sunday Times |language=en-ZA}} Potgieter-Gqubule was expected to run on a slate aligned to Ramaphosa but, when the elective conference began, it was announced that she had declined the Deputy Secretary-General nomination in written communications with the ANC Electoral Committee, according to the Mail & Guardian.{{Cite web |last=Tandwa |first=Lizeka |date=2022-12-18 |title=How Ramaphosa faction 'scrambled' after Febe Potgieter declined nomination |url=https://mg.co.za/top-six/2022-12-18-how-ramaphosa-faction-scrambled-after-febe-potgieter-declined-nomination/ |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} Potgieter-Gqubule did stand for election as additional member of the ANC NEC, and after her election, was appointed as ANC Head of Policy and Research, a position she occupies since 2023.

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Category:African National Congress politicians

Category:Politicians from the Eastern Cape

Category:Living people

Category:People from Kouga Local Municipality

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)