Polly Boshielo
{{short description|South African politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Polly Boshielo
| honorific-suffix = MPL
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| office = Limpopo MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison
| premier = Stanley Mathabatha
| term_start = 29 June 2022
| term_end = 6 October 2022
| predecessor = Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya
| successor = Florence Radzilani
| office1 = Limpopo MEC for Education
| premier1 = Stanley Mathabatha
| term_start1 = 22 May 2019
| term_end1 = 29 June 2022
| predecessor1 = Ishmael Kgetjepe
| successor1 = Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya
| office2 = Speaker of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature
| term_start2 = 15 October 2015
| term_end2 = 7 May 2019
| predecessor2 = Mirriam Ramadwa
| successor2 = Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya
| office3 = Member of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature
| term_start3 = June 2015
| term_end3 =
| office4 = Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
| term_start4 = 21 May 2014
| term_end4 = 5 June 2015
| predecessor4 =
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| birthname =
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| birth_place = Seshego, Transvaal Province, South Africa
| death_date =
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| nationality = South African
| party = African National Congress
| otherparty = South African Communist Party
| spouse = Benny Boshielo
| partner =
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| children =
| residence =
| education =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Member of the Provincial Legislature
| profession = Politician
| known_for =
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}}
Shela Paulina "Polly" Boshielo is a South African politician who has been the Deputy Minister of Police since 3 July 2024. She was the Limpopo MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison from 29 June 2022 to 6 October 2022. She has been a Member of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature for the African National Congress since June 2015 to 2024. She served as the speaker of the provincial legislature from October 2015 to May 2019 and as the MEC for Education from May 2019 to June 2022. Boshielo also served as a Member of the National Assembly from May 2014 to June 2015, and again from 2024.
Early life
Boshielo was born and grew up in Seshego, a township of Polokwane.{{cite news |last1=Hannam |first1=Cheryllee |title=New provincial speaker believes in hard work |url=https://reviewonline.co.za/113009/polly-work-hard-as-nothing-is-for-mahala/ |access-date=8 September 2020 |newspaper=reviewonline.co.za |date=22 October 2015}}
Political career
Boshielo joined both the African National Congress and South African Communist Party. After the 2014 general election held on 7 May, Boshielo was nominated to the National Assembly. She was sworn in as an MP on 21 May 2014. In June 2014, she received her committee assignments. She was a member of the auditor-general, transport, and public enterprises committees. Boshielo resigned from Parliament on 5 June 2015.{{cite web |title=Ms Shela Paulina Boshielo |url=https://www.pa.org.za/person/shela-paulina-boshielo/ |website=People's Assembly |access-date=8 September 2020}}
Also in June, she was sworn in as a Member of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature.{{cite news |last1=Moloto |first1=Moloko |title=ANC suspends Limpopo Speaker |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/anc-suspends-limpopo-speaker-1901187 |access-date=9 September 2020 |agency=IOL |date=17 August 2015 |location=Polokwane |quote=Boshielo was later sworn in as MPL in June}} She was elected speaker of the legislature on 13 October, succeeding Mirriam Ramadwa, who had initially refused to resign.{{cite news |title=New Speaker elected |url=https://www.observer.co.za/new-speaker-elected/ |access-date=8 September 2020 |newspaper=Observer |date=15 October 2015}} Boshielo was formally sworn in on 15 October.{{cite news |title=Polly Boshielo sworn in as new provincial speaker |url=https://reviewonline.co.za/111381/new-broom-to-sweep-legislature-clean/ |access-date=8 September 2020 |newspaper=reviewonline.co.za |date=15 October 2015 |location=Polokwane}}
After the 2019 provincial election that was held on 8 May, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya was elected speaker of the provincial legislature on 22 May 2019. On that same day, premier Stanley Mathabatha appointed Boshielo Member of the Executive Council for Education.{{cite news |title=Limpopo Premier appoints new cabinet |url=https://letabaherald.co.za/65391/limpopo-premier-appoints-new-cabinet/ |access-date=8 September 2020 |newspaper=Letaba Herald |date=22 May 2019}} She was sworn in later that same day. The provincial SADTU welcomed her appointment.{{cite news |last1=Sowell |first1=Tjebane |title=Appointment of new MEC for Education welcomed – SADTU Limpopo |url=https://www.politicsweb.co.za/politics/appointment-of-new-mec-for-education-welcomed--sad |access-date=8 September 2020 |date=23 May 2019}} During her tenure as Education MEC, Limpopo was the worst-performing province in the country in the 2021 matric results. Boshielo was unfazed by this, responding to criticism by blaming the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |last=Correspondent |first=Russel Molefe |title=Matric results: Education MEC appears unfazed about Limpopo being worst-performing province |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/matric-results-education-mec-appears-unfazed-about-limpopo-being-worst-performing-province-20220122 |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}
On 29 June 2022, Mathabatha conducted a cabinet reshuffle, in which he announced that Boshielo and the MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya would exchange positions.{{Cite web |last=Masungwini |first=Norman |title=Limpopo premier flexes muscles through reshuffle |url=https://www.news24.com/citypress/politics/limpopo-premier-flexes-muscles-through-reshuffle-20220629 |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=Citypress |language=en-US}}
Personal life
References
{{Reflist}}{{Members of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boshielo, Polly}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Speakers of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature
Category:African National Congress politicians
Category:South African Communist Party politicians
Category:21st-century South African women politicians
Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2024–2029
Category:Women members of provincial legislatures of South Africa