Sello Dithebe
{{Short description|South African politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| party = African National Congress
| office1 = Member of the National Assembly
| termstart1 = 2 September 2005
| termend1 = May 2009
| citizenship = South Africa
| termend2 = April 2004
| termstart2 = 1 May 2000
}}
Sello Leon Dithebe is a South African politician who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly from 2000 to 2004 and from 2005 to 2009. He is a former Provincial Secretary of the ANC's Free State branch and in 2023 was appointed as spokesman to the Premier of the Free State, Mxolisi Dukwana.
Political career
Dithebe was Provincial Secretary of the ANC's Free State branch from 1997 to 1998 under Provincial Chairperson Zingile Dingani.{{Cite web |date=1997-12-17 |title=50th National Conference: Report of the Secretary General |url=https://www.anc1912.org.za/50th-national-conference-report-of-the-secretary-general-provincial-reports/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128234926/https://www.anc1912.org.za/50th-national-conference-report-of-the-secretary-general-provincial-reports/ |archive-date=28 November 2022 |access-date=29 November 2022 |website=African National Congress }} He was sworn into the National Assembly for the first time on 1 May 2000, filling a casual vacancy in an ANC seat.{{Cite web |date=2002-06-02 |title=The National Assembly List of Resinations and Nominations |url=http://parliament.gov.za/na/resign.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020602095739/http://parliament.gov.za/na/resign.htm |archive-date=2 June 2002 |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=Parliament of South Africa}} He was not initially re-elected at the end of the legislative term in 2004, but he returned to the assembly on 2 September 2005, filling another casual vacancy.{{Cite web |date=2009-01-15 |title=National Assembly Members |url=http://www.pmg.org.za/parlinfo/nalist#_ftnref87 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514071402/http://www.pmg.org.za/parlinfo/nalist#_ftnref87 |archive-date=14 May 2009 |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=Parliamentary Monitoring Group}}
During his second term in the National Assembly, in 2008, Dithebe clashed with ANC Provincial Chairperson Ace Magashule after he and another ANC politician, Vax Mayekiso, took the Free State ANC to court, alleging that there had been electoral irregularities in party elective conferences which had the effect of blocking Magashule's opponents from regional leadership positions.{{Cite web |date=2008-06-06 |title=ANC infighting lands Ace in court |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2008-06-06-anc-infighting-lands-ace-in-court/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} Dithebe said that he had been blocked from the leadership of the Lejweleputswa regional branch.{{Cite web |date=2008-03-27 |title=ANC regions settle scores |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2008-03-28-anc-regions-settle-scores/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} Both he and Mayekiso were suspended from party activities on the grounds that their involvement in the court applications transgressed the party's rules, and they also sought to challenge their suspensions in court.{{Cite news |date=9 June 2008 |title=New court battle for FState ANC leadership |work=IOL |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/new-court-battle-for-fstate-anc-leadership-403728 |access-date=11 April 2023}}{{Cite web |date=21 July 2008 |title=Magashule looks set for FS seat |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/magashule-looks-set-for-fs-seat-20080721 |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}
In 2018, Dithebe was again closely involved in an unsuccessful court challenge that attempted to block that year's ANC provincial elective conference, again alleging irregularities by Magashule's supporters.{{Cite web |last=Nicolson |first=Greg |date=2018-03-05 |title=Magashule holds the Aces: He's still the 'hidden hand' in the Free State, say ANC members |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-03-05-magashule-holds-the-aces-hes-still-the-hidden-hand-in-the-free-state-say-anc-members/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2018-03-09 |title=Free State ANC branches rattle elective conference |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2018-03-09-00-free-state-anc-branches-rattle-elective-conference/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} He made a political comeback in January 2023 when he was elected to the Provincial Executive Committee of the Free State ANC.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-29 |title=Ntombela out, Dukwana to take over |url=https://sundayworld.co.za/news/politics/ntombela-out-dukwana-to-take-over/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=Sunday World |language=en-ZA}} He was subsequently appointed as spokesman to Mxolisi Dukwana, the newly elected ANC Provincial Chairperson after Dukwana took office as Premier of the Free State the following month.{{Cite web |last=Dlodlo |first=Cathy |date=2023-03-23 |title=Fire rips through Free State premier's house, causes millions in damage |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-03-23-fire-rips-through-free-state-premiers-house-millions-in-damage/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Category:African National Congress politicians
Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2024–2029
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dithebe, Leon}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 1999–2004
Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 2004–2009