Mandisa Mashego
{{Short description|South African politician (born 1973)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Mandisa Mashego
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| image = Mandisa mashego 2025 update.jpg
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| office = Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature
| term_start = 21 May 2014
| term_end = 31 March 2020
| predecessor =
| successor =
| office2 = Provincial Chairperson of the Gauteng Economic Freedom Fighters
| term_start2 = 2 September 2018{{efn|Acting: 18 March 2015 – 2 September 2018}}
| term_end2 = 31 March 2020
| predecessor2 = Zorro Boshielo
| successor2 = Itani Mukwevho
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|8|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = King William's Town, Cape Province, South Africa
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| nationality = South African
| party = Abantu Batho Congress (2021–present)
| otherparty = Economic Freedom Fighters (2013–2020)
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| children = 1
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| alma_mater = Durban University of Technology
| occupation = Politician
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Mandisa Sibongile Mashego (born 26 August 1973) is a South African politician and feminist. A former member of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), she served as the party's provincial chairperson in Gauteng from 2018 to 2020. She was also a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature from 2014 to 2020.{{cite news |last1=Goba |first1=Neo |title=Mandisa Mashego: Red Berets' first provincial woman leader |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-09-04-mandisa-mashego-red-berets-first-woman-leader/ |accessdate=23 February 2020 |newspaper=SowetanLIVE |date=4 September 2018}}
Early life
Mashego was born in King William's Town, Cape Province, to a black mother and a white father. She grew up in the Mayfern township of Nelspruit. She obtained a B-Tech in Public Relations from the Durban University of Technology.{{cite news |last1=Stockenstroom |first1=Somaya |title=EFF's Mandisa Mashego is fierce, feisty and outspoken |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sundayworld/lifestyle/up-close/2018-09-19-effs-mandisa-mashego-is-fierce-feisty-and-outspoken/ |accessdate=25 February 2020 |newspaper=Sunday World |date=19 September 2018 }}
Political career
Mashego joined the African National Congress (ANC) while still a student. She left the ANC in 2012 and soon joined the EFF. She was elected as a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in 2014 and the following year, she was appointed acting provincial chairperson of the EFF following the resignation of Zorro Boshielo. Mashego was elected provincial chairperson for a full term in 2018 and consequently became the party's second elected female provincial chairperson.{{cite news |last1=Goba |first1=Neo |title=Mandisa Mashego: Red Berets' first provincial woman leader |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-09-04-mandisa-mashego-red-berets-first-woman-leader/ |accessdate=25 February 2020 |newspaper=SowetanLIVE |date=4 September 2018}}
=Political views=
Mashego describes herself as a feminist and an opponent of patriarchy. She said in an interview with the Mail & Guardian that the replacement of the party's first female provincial chairperson, Betty Diale, "saddened" her.{{cite news |last1=Bendile |first1=Dineo |title=Patriarchy is no effing joke |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2018-09-07-00-patriarchy-is-no-effing-joke/ |accessdate=25 February 2020 |newspaper=mg.co.za |date=7 September 2018 |quote=The EFF’s first woman provincial leader, Betty Diale from the North West, was replaced last weekend by the new chairperson, Matshidiso Botswe, a development Mashego said had “saddened” her.}}
In April 2020, Mashego announced that she supports the reintroduction of the death penalty in South Africa.{{cite news |last1=Feketha |first1=Siviwe |title=Former EFF Gauteng chairperson wants to fight for death penalty |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/former-eff-gauteng-chairperson-wants-to-fight-for-death-penalty-45995417 |accessdate=3 April 2020 |newspaper=IOL |date=2 April 2020}}
=Tensions with Julius Malema=
In December 2019 at the EFF's national elective conference, Mashego opposed Marshall Dlamini for the position of Secretary-General. Her opposition to Dlamini caused tensions between her and party leader Julius Malema.{{cite news |last1=Madisa |first1=Kgothatso |title=I stood up for black women's leadership: Mandisa Mashego |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2019-12-18-i-stood-up-for-black-womens-leadership-mandisa-mashego/ |accessdate=25 February 2020 |newspaper=SowetanLIVE |date=18 December 2019}} Malema later suggested in a tweet, which caused speculation, that Mashego was planning on defecting to former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba's party.{{cite news |last1=Nyathi |first1=Mandisa |last2=Khumalo |first2=Junior |title=EFF conference fallout: Malema's 'strategy is to frustrate people until they resign' |url=https://city-press.news24.com/News/eff-conference-fallout-malemas-strategy-is-to-frustrate-people-until-they-resign-20200209 |accessdate=25 February 2020 |newspaper=City Press |date=9 February 2020}}
In February 2020, the Sunday World newspaper reported that Mashego had resigned as provincial chairperson and as a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. The EFF disputed this claim and Mashego later denied that she had resigned.{{cite news |last1=Head |first1=Tom |title=Trouble in the EFF: Gauteng leader 'may resign' after bust-up with Malema |url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/offbeat/who-is-mandisa-mashego-what-said-julius-malema-eff-gauteng/ |accessdate=25 February 2020 |newspaper=The South African |date=23 February 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Masweneng |first1=Kgaugelo |title=Mandisa Mashego has not resigned — EFF |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2020-02-23-mandisa-mashego-has-not-resigned-eff/ |accessdate=25 February 2020 |newspaper=TimesLIVE |date=23 February 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Seleka |first1=Ntwaagae |title=Mandisa Mashego mum on whether she's still Gauteng EFF leader |url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/mandisa-mashego-mum-on-whether-shes-still-gauteng-eff-leader-20200228 |accessdate=29 February 2020 |newspaper=News24 |date=28 February 2020}}
On 31 March 2020, Mashego resigned as EFF provincial chairperson and also from the provincial legislature.{{cite news |last1=Madia |first1=Tshidi |title=EFF's Mandisa Mashego resigns as caucus leader in Gauteng legislature |url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/just-in-effs-mandisa-mashego-resigns-as-caucus-leader-in-gauteng-legislature-20200401 |accessdate=2 April 2020 |agency=News24 |date=1 April 2020}} Deputy chairperson Itani Mukwevho was named her successor.{{cite news |last1=Madisa |first1=Kgothatso |title=EFF's Itani Mukwevho replaces Gauteng chairperson Mandisa Mashego following her resignation |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-04-01-effs-itani-mukwevho-replaces-gauteng-chairperson-mandisa-mashego-following-her-resignation/ |accessdate=2 April 2020 |newspaper=SowetanLIVE |date=1 April 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Mahlati |first1=Zintle |title=Mandisa Mashego confirms resignation from powerful positions in the EFF, remains party member |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/mandisa-mashego-confirms-resignation-from-powerful-positions-in-the-eff-remains-party-member-45988293 |accessdate=2 April 2020 |newspaper=IOL |date=2 April 2020}} In August 2020, Mashego made an appearance at the launch of Mashaba's political party, ActionSA.{{cite news |last1=Deklerk |first1=Aphiwe |title=Former EFF Gauteng leader among those at launch of Mashaba's new party |url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-08-29-former-eff-gauteng-leader-among-those-at-launch-of-mashabas-new-party/ |access-date=25 January 2021 |agency=SowetanLIVE |date=29 August 2020}}
In January 2021, Mashego announced that she had joined the Abantu Batho Congress.{{cite news |last1=Nyathi |first1=Mandisa |title=Abantu Batho Congress gets tough |url=https://www.news24.com/citypress/politics/abantu-batho-congress-gets-tough-20210109 |access-date=25 January 2021 |agency=City Press |date=10 January 2021}}
Personal life
Mashego has not been married and has one daughter.{{cite news |last1=Abraham |first1=Vicky |title='At least Mom will always vote for me' |url=https://citizen.co.za/news/1244257/at-least-mom-will-always-vote-for-me/ |accessdate=26 February 2020 |newspaper=The Citizen |date=9 August 2016 |quote=Other aspects about her character are projected during the interview, such as being a loving and caring mother to her daughter.}}
Notes
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References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.pa.org.za/person/mandisa-sibongile-mashego/ Mandisa Mashego – People's Assembly]
{{Economic Freedom Fighters}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mashego, Mandisa}}
Category:Economic Freedom Fighters politicians
Category:Politicians from the Eastern Cape
Category:Women members of provincial legislatures of South Africa
Category:Politicians from Mpumalanga