Mthandeni Dlungwana

Dlungwana was born in rural eNqabeni in KwaNxamalala, EmbubuMsunduzi Local Municipality [Pietermaritzburg in present-day KwaZulu-Natal, then the Natal province.{{Cite web |last=Mlambo |first=Sihle |date=20 June 2016 |title=Meet the man taking on a department in deep crisis |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/opinion/meet-the-man-taking-on-a-department-in-deep-crisis-2036629 |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=IOL |language=en}} His mother was a domestic worker and his father was a bus driver; Dlungwana became politically active under the influence of his father, who was a member of the United Democratic Front and Congress of South African Trade Unions.{{Cite web |date=2018-03-02 |title=Dead-end roads and Zuma's legacy |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2018-03-02-00-dead-end-roads-and-zumas-legacy/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |date=27 November 2016 |title=Zuma dynasty: Now entering the province of KwaZuma-Natal |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/news/2016-11-27-zuma-dynasty-now-entering-the-province-of-kwazuma-natal/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=Sunday Times |language=en-ZA}}

In 2004, Dlungwana completed a Master's degree in development studies and town planning at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He was a local leader in the African National Congress (ANC), chairing his local branch of the party between 2001 and 2010.

He rose to political prominence during his tenure as Provincial Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal branch of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL). He formerly served as ANCYL Deputy Provincial Chairperson under Mxolisi Kaunda from 2008 to 2010,{{Cite web |last=Nsele |first=Sabelo |date=2015-12-07 |title=Dlungwane plans to crack whip on delivery |url=https://www.citizen.co.za/witness/news/dlungwane-plans-to-crack-whip-on-delivery-20151206/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=Witness |language=en}} and he succeeded Kaunda as chair at a league elective conference held at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in late May 2010.{{Cite web |date=24 May 2010 |title=ANCYL congress enters 4th day |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/ancyl-congress-enters-4th-day-20100524 |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} He defeated Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu in the election and stood as part of a slate of candidates led by Provincial Secretary Bheki Mtolo, all of whom were elected to top leadership positions; the slate also included Yolanda Young, Siboniso Duma, and, as Dlungwana's deputy, Sindiso Magaqa.{{Cite web |date=2010-05-24 |title=KZN ANCYL to back Malema in 2011 |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2010-05-24-kzn-ancyl-to-back-malema-in-2011/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |date=17 May 2010 |title=ANCYL conference – KZN next to try |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/ancyl-conference-kzn-next-to-try-20100517 |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} After the election results were announced, opponents of Dlungwana's slate staged a walkout from the conference, claiming that there had been electoral irregularities.

Dlungwana was initially an outspoken supporter of Julius Malema, the incumbent President of the national ANCYL.{{Cite web |date=2011-08-27 |title=Youth league claims Malema being isolated |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2011-08-27-youth-league-claims-malema-being-isolated/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} However, in early October 2011, the Malema-led national leadership of the ANCYL disbanded the league's provincial leadership in KwaZulu-Natal, prematurely ending Dlungwana's term as Provincial Chairperson.{{Cite web |date=3 October 2011 |title=KZN ANC Youth League disbanded |url=https://ewn.co.za/2011/10/03/KZN-ANC-Youth-League-disbanded |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=EWN |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2011-10-02 |title=KZN youth league branch disbanded |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2011-10-02-kzn-youth-league-branch-disbanded/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |last=Mbanjwa |first=Bheki |date=11 October 2011 |title=Banned officials occupy offices |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/banned-officials-occupy-offices-1154900 |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=IOL |language=en}} The national leadership said that the provincial leadership corps had been disbanded due to ill discipline, but Dlungwana claimed that they were being victimised because they had endorsed Jacob Zuma for re-election as ANC President in 2012, thereby breaking with the national ANCYL's position.{{Cite web |date=3 October 2011 |title=Suspended youth leaguer hits out at Malema |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/suspended-youth-leaguer-hits-out-at-malema-20150429 |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} Dlungwana subsequently became critical of Malema.{{Cite web |date=2 March 2012 |title=KZN youth league happy Malema's out |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/kzn-youth-league-happy-malemas-out-1247181 |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=IOL |language=en}} When fresh leadership elections were finally run in 2015,{{Cite news |date=17 June 2015 |title=A new provincial youth league |work=Mercury |url=https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-mercury/20150617/281865822103950 |access-date=27 January 2023 |via=PressReader}} he was succeeded as ANCYL Provincial Chairperson by Thami Ngubane.{{Cite web |date=7 June 2015 |title=KZN ANCYL elects new leadership |url=https://www.enca.com/south-africa/ancyl-kzn-elects-new-leadership |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=eNCA |language=en}}

On 14 September 2011, a fortnight before he was removed from his ANCYL office, Dlungwana was sworn in to an ANC seat in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature, filling a casual vacancy created after the recent local elections when Jeff Vilane resigned from the legislature to become Mayor of Umkhanyakude.{{Cite web |last=Miya |first=Skhumbuzo |date=2011-09-15 |title=Youth leader in KZN legislature |url=https://www.citizen.co.za/witness/archive/youth-leader-in-kzn-legislature-20150430/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=Witness |language=en}} In May 2012, Dlungwana was additionally elected to a four-year term on the Provincial Executive Committee of the KwaZulu-Natal branch of the mainstream ANC.{{Cite news |last=Oliphant |first=Nathi |date=20 May 2012 |title=KZN names its new executive committee |work=Sunday Tribune |url=https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/sunday-tribune-south-africa/20120520/281775626197443 |access-date=8 January 2023 |via=PressReader}}{{Cite book |url=https://q8x6q2v5.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/112-HIST-SA-O-ANC-KZN-Provincial-General-Council-22-to-24-March-2013_Copied-on-the-18_May_2022-1.pdf |title=7th Provincial Conference Resolutions |publisher=KwaZulu-Natal African National Congress |year=2013 |page=4 |access-date=8 January 2023}}

He was re-elected to a full term in his legislative seat in the 2014 general election, ranked 19th on the ANC's provincial party list.{{Cite web |title=Mthandeni Eric Dlungwana |url=http://www.pa.org.za/person/mthandeni-eric-dlungwana/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=People's Assembly |language=en}} The following year, he was elected Regional Chairperson of the ANC's Musa Dladla branch in Umgungundlovu District, succeeding Super Zuma, who had recently been elected ANC Provincial Secretary.

Two years into the legislative term, in May 2016, Willies Mchunu took office as Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, and in June he announced a major cabinet reshuffle in which Dlungwana was appointed to the KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council as MEC for Education.{{Cite web |last=Harper |first=Paddy |date=6 June 2016 |title=4 MECs gone in KZN cabinet 'purge' |url=https://www.news24.com/citypress/news/4-mecs-gone-in-kzn-cabinet-purge-20160606 |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=City Press |language=en-US}} Dlungwana retained that portfolio throughout Mchunu's premiership. Later, in June 2019, he was convicted of contempt of court in relation to his activities as MEC: the Durban Labour Court found that, while he was an MEC, he had failed to comply with a 2015 court order obliging his department to rectify a labour dispute with a public school employee.{{Cite web |last=Naidoo |first=Mervyn |date=4 June 2019 |title=Ex-education MEC guilty of contempt |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/ex-education-mec-guilty-of-contempt-25038664 |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=IOL |language=en}}

In the 2019 general election, Dlungwana was re-elected to the provincial legislature, ranked 22nd on the ANC's party list, but newly elected Premier Sihle Zikalala appointed Kwazi Mshengu to succeed him as MEC for Education.{{Cite web |date=27 May 2019 |title=Premier Sihle Zikalala announces his KZN cabinet |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/premier-sihle-zikalala-announces-his-kzn-cabinet-20190527 |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} On 15 July 2019, after less than two months as an ordinary Member of the Provincial Legislature, Dlungwana resigned from the provincial legislature;{{Cite web |date=16 July 2019 |title=KZN MPL quits post – after barely a month |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2019-07-16-kzn-mpl-quits-post-after-barely-a-month/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=Sunday Times |language=en-ZA}} his seat was filled by Themba Mtshali later that month.{{Cite web |date=17 July 2019 |title=Announcements and tablings |url=https://kznlegislature.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ANNOUNCEMENTS-AND-TABLINGS-17-JULY-2019.pdf |access-date=27 January 2023 |website=KwaZulu-Natal Legislature}}

{{reflist}}

• {{People's Assembly (South Africa)|mthandeni-eric-dlungwana|Mthandeni Eric Dlungwana}}

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature

Category:African National Congress politicians

Category:21st-century South African politicians

Category:1976 births

Category:People from Nkandla Local Municipality

Category:University of KwaZulu-Natal alumni

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