Maite Nkoana-Mashabane

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix =

|name = Maite Nkoana-Mashabane

|honorific-suffix =

|image = South African Foreign Minister Nkoana-Mashabane (cropped).jpg

|caption = {{Nowrap|Maite Nkoana-Mashabane on 16 September 2015}}

|office1 =

|term_start1 =

|term_end1 =

|predecessor1 =

|successor1 =

|office2 = Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities in the Presidency

|president2 = Cyril Ramaphosa

|term_start2 = 30 May 2019

|term_end2 = 6 March 2023

|predecessor2 = Bathabile Dlamini

|successor2 = Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

|office3 = Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform

|president3 = Cyril Ramaphosa

|term_start3 = 26 February 2018

|term_end3 = 29 May 2019

|predecessor3 = Gugile Nkwinti

|successor3 = Post dissolved

|office4 = Minister of International Relations and Cooperation

|president4 = Jacob Zuma
Cyril Ramaphosa

|deputy4 = Nomaindia Mfeketo
Luwellyn Landers

|term_start4 = 10 May 2009

|term_end4 = 26 February 2018

|predecessor4 = Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (Foreign Affairs)

|successor4 = Lindiwe Sisulu

|office5 = Member of the Executive Council for Local Government and Housing of Limpopo

|premier5 = Sello Moloto

|term_start5 = 25 September 2004

|term_end5 = 9 May 2008

|predecessor5 = Thabo Nzima

|successor5 = Siyabonga Quintin

|birth_name = Maite Emily Nkoana

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|9|30|df=y}}

|birth_place = Magoebaskloof, South Africa

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = African National Congress

|spouse = Norman Mashabane (Deceased 2007)

}}

Maite Emily Nkoana-Mashabane (born 30 September 1963),{{cite web|url=http://www.dfa.gov.za/department/profile_mashabane.html |title=Profile: Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister |publisher=Dfa.gov.za |access-date=9 March 2012}} formerly known as Maite Mohale, is a South African politician who served as the Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. She was Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform from 2018 to 2019, and previously served as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation from 2009 to 2018. Nkoana-Mashabane is also a former member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC).

Biography

Nkoana-Mashabane was born in Magoebaskloof and raised in Ga-Makanye, Limpopo. During the 1980s, she was an active member of the United Democratic Front and served in various structures of the Mass Democratic Movement and the African National Congress' (ANC) underground structures.{{cite web|url=http://www.dirco.gov.za/department/profile_mashabane.html|title=Profile: Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister|website=dirco.gov.za}}

After the unbanning of the ANC in 1990, she served the party in various structures, including the ANC Women's League (ANCWL) and actively participated in the relaunch of the ANCWL in the country. Nkoana-Mashabane went on to be appointed as South African High Commissioner to India and Malaysia.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dirco.gov.za/department/profile_mashabane.html|title=Profile: Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister|website=dirco.gov.za|access-date=2017-11-15}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Reporter-apologises-to-minister-20090514|title=Reporter apologises to minister|work=News24|access-date=2017-11-15}}

She served as the Chairperson of the ANCWL in Limpopo and as a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the organisation from 1992 to 1995.{{Cite web|url=http://www.caucus.anc.org.za/get_mp.php?q=493|title=*** ANC Parliamentary Caucus ****|website=caucus.anc.org.za|access-date=2017-11-15}}

On her return to South Africa, Nkoana-Mashabane became Limpopo's Local Government and Housing Member of the Executive Council.{{Cite web|url=https://pmg.org.za/page/profiles-new-cabinet-ministers|title=Profiles New Cabinet Ministers {{!}} PMG|website=pmg.org.za|language=en|access-date=2017-11-15}}

In December 2012, Nkoana-Mashabane was re-elected as a member of the National Executive Committee of the ruling party at the party's 53rd National Conference, held in Mangaung, Free State Province. Her first election to the NEC was at the party's December 2007 National Conference, held in the city of Polokwane.{{Cite news|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2007-12-21-shakeup-in-anc-national-executive|title=Shake-up in ANC national executive|last=Wolmarans|first=Riaan|work=Mail & Guardian|access-date=2017-11-15|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.anc.org.za/content/52nd-national-conference-national-executive-committee-elected|title=52nd National Conference: National Executive Committee as elected {{!}} African National Congress|website=anc.org.za|language=en|access-date=2017-11-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613043755/http://www.anc.org.za/content/52nd-national-conference-national-executive-committee-elected|archive-date=13 June 2018|url-status=dead}}

President Jacob Zuma appointed Nkoana-Mashabane as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation on 9 May 2009. Zuma subsequently disputed suggestions that this was an unusual appointment in light of Nkoana-Mashabane's apparent lack of foreign policy experience, saying that "the ANC knows the strengths of this comrade" and noting that she was a member of the ANC National Executive Committee.[http://www.news24.com/News24/Elections/News/0,,2-2478-2479_2514149,00.html "Zuma defends choice"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514010058/http://www.news24.com/News24/Elections/News/0,,2-2478-2479_2514149,00.html |date=14 May 2009 }}, SAPA (News24), 10 May 2009.

During Nkoana-Mashabane's tenure as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa became a member of the group of emerging economies under the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) banner. Nkoana-Mashabane was President of the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Durban from 28 November to 11 December 2011.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16124670|title=UN climate talks end with late deal|first=Richard|last=Black|date=11 December 2011|publisher=BBC}}

She was sworn in for a second term as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation on 26 May 2014. She is currently a member of the ANC NEC and NWC. In 2015, Ms Nkoana-Mashabane was elected as the Treasurer General of the ANCWL.

In February 2018, she was moved to the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, and her position was subsequently filled by Lindiwe Sisulu.

Nkoana-Mashabane rose to infamy after an interview on Al-Jazeera (conducted in 1996) where she responded to questions about the state of South Africa by detailing the manner in which she had, in her childhood, carried water pails on her head and subsequently has a hole in her head.{{cite web |last1=Spector |first1=J Brooks |title=How the Maite Have Fallen: Whatever happened to informed, worldwise foreign ministers? |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-07-07-how-the-maite-have-fallen-whatever-happened-to-informed-worldwise-foreign-ministers/ |website=Daily Maverick |date=7 July 2016 |access-date=20 August 2018}} She has also continued to be a dogged supporter and defender of disgraced ex-president Jacob Zuma despite his failure to uphold the constitution, his many corruption charges, and his rape charges, and particularly despite his erratic cabinet reshuffles which saw the South African economy lose R5 billion almost overnight.

In May 2019, President Cyril Ramaphosa named Nkoana-Mashabane as Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, succeeding Bathabile Dlamini.[https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2019-05-30-a-listicle-of-who-is-in-and-who-is-out-of-sa-cabinet-2019/ Who's in and who's out of SA's 2019 cabinet]. Retrieved 11 June 2019.

Nkoana-Mashabane unsuccessfully stood for re-election to the ANC NEC at the party's 55th National Conference in December 2022.{{Cite web |title=Cabinet reshuffle imminent after more than a dozen ministers, deputies fail to make NEC cut |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2022-12-21-cabinet-reshuffle-imminent-after-more-than-a-dozen-ministers-deputies-fail-to-make-nec-cut/ |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=TimesLIVE |language=en-ZA}} She was removed as a cabinet minister in a cabinet reshuffle on 6 March 2023.{{Cite web |last=Makhafola |first=Getrude |date=2023-03-07 |title=Lindiwe Sisulu loses Cabinet seat after nearly 30 years in Parliament |url=https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/government/sisulu-loses-cabinet-years-parliament/ |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=The Citizen |language=en}} Instead of becoming a backbencher, Nkoana-Mashabane opted to resign her seat in the National Assembly on 15 March 2023.{{Cite web |title=Ex-minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane resigns as MP after cabinet reshuffle |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/former-minister-maite-nkoana-mashabane-first-cabinet-reshuffle-casualty-to-resign-as-mp/ |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=TimesLIVE |language=en-ZA}}

Personal life

Nkoana-Mashabane's first husband was Frans Mohale, a businessman from Limpopo. They had four children together.{{Cite web |date=20 September 2010 |title=He gave his life for his people |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2010-09-20-he-gave-his-life-for-his-people/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Sowetan |language=en-ZA}}

Her second husband was Norman Mashabane, who was recalled from his position as South African Ambassador to Indonesia after sexual harassment charges were laid against him. He was later found guilty on those charges in the Pretoria High Court, and quit his post as political adviser.[http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=iol116539872571M215 IOL:Sex pest Mashabane quits] He died in a car accident outside the provincial capital of Polokwane in 2007.{{cite web |url=http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=584866 |title=Mashabane killed in car crash

|access-date=2007-10-11 |publisher=The Times (SA)}}{{dead link|date=November 2014}}

Corruption

As Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Nkoana-Mashabane incurred expenditure of R235 000 for a single flight from Norway to Bulgaria. At the Oslo Airport, refusing to have her bag searched and missing her commercial flight, Nkoana-Mashabane insisted on chartering a private jet.{{Cite book |last=Leon |first=Tony |title=Accidental Ambassador |publisher=Picador Africa |year=2013 |isbn=9781770102415 |edition=1st |location=Johannesburg |pages=243 |language=English}}

References

Sources

[https://web.archive.org/web/20081205050437/http://www.limpopo-dlgh.gov.za/mec.php Short biography and picture]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20090513025048/http://www.info.gov.za/events/2009/new_cabinet.htm Statement by President Jacob Zuma on the appointment of the new Cabinet] (2009-05-10)

{{s-bef|before=Bathabile Dlamini|as=Minister of Women in the Presidency}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities|years=2019–2023}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform|years=2018–2019}}

{{s-bef|before=Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma|as=Minister of Foreign Affairs}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister of International Relations and Cooperation|years=2009–2018}}

Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:Northern Sotho people

Category:African National Congress politicians

Category:Foreign ministers of South Africa

Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2019–2024

Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2009–2014