Vusi Shongwe
{{short description|South African politician (born 1958)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| image = Vusi Shongwe 2017 by Zama Khumalo.jpg
| caption = Vusi Shongwe in 2016
| name = Vusi Shongwe
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| honorific-suffix = MPL
| office1 = MEC for the Department of Security, Community Safety and Liaison
| premier1 = Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane
| term_start1 = 24 February 2021
| term_end1 = 18 June 2024
| predecessor1 = Gabisile Tshabalala
| successor1 = Jackie Macie
| premier2 = David Mabuza
| term_start2 = July 2011
| term_end2 = August 2016
| predecessor2 = Sibongile Manana
| successor2 = Pat Ngomane
| office3 = MEC for the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs
| term_start3 = 17 August 2016
| term_end3 = 24 February 2021
| predecessor3 = Andries Gamede
| successor3 = Mandla Msibi
| office4 = Acting Premier of Mpumalanga
| president4 = Jacob Zuma
| term_start4 = August 2015
| term_end4 = November 2015
| predecessor4 =
| successor4 =
| office5 = Provincial treasurer of the Mpumalanga ANC
| term_start5 = December 2015
| term_end5 = April 2021
| predecessor5 = Andries Gamede
| successor5 = Mandla Msibi
| birthname = Vusumuzi Robert Shongwe
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|04|22|df=y}}
| birth_place = Breyten, Mpumalanga
| citizenship = South Africa
| nationality = South African
| party = African National Congress
| spouse = {{marriage|Charmaine Zwane|2016}}
| relations =
| children = Only 3 known, one of them was fatally hit by a car in 2015
| residence = Ermelo
| profession = Politician
}}
Vusumuzi Robert Shongwe (born 22 April 1958) is a South African politician who served in the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature. He formerly served in the Executive Council in Mpumalanga province. Between September and November 2015, Shongwe served as acting Premier of Mpumalanga while Premier David Mabuza was on sick leave. He is a member of the African National Congress and was formerly treasurer of the party's provincial executive committee in Mpumalanga, previously the chairperson of the ANC in the Gert Sibande region.
Early life
Vusumuzi Robert Shongwe was born on 22 April 1958{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}} in Breyten near Ermelo in what is now Mpumalanga province.{{Cite web |date=2020-02-03 |title=Ehlanzeni ANC wants Vusi Shongwe as deputy chair |url=https://013.co.za/2020/02/03/ehlanzeni-anc-wants-vusi-shongwe-deputy-chair/ |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=013NEWS |language=en-US}}
Career in government
In the 2014 South African general election, Shongwe was elected as a member of the Mpumalanga provincial legislature for the African National Congress (ANC).{{Cite web |title=Vusumuzi Robert Shongwe |url=http://www.pa.org.za/person/vusumuzi-robert-shongwe/ |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=People's Assembly |language=en}} He was appointed Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Community Safety, Security and Liaison in the province,{{Cite web |date=10 November 2015 |title=Mpumalanga's premier to return to work next week – spokesperson |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/mpumalangas-premier-to-return-to-work-next-week-spokesperson-20151110 |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} in which capacity he was the political head of the provincial security structure.[https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/govt-help-bury-crash-victims Govt to help bury crash victims], SA News,7 February 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2020[https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Man-arrested-for-rape-and-murder-20130609 Man arrested for rape and murder], News24, 9 June 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2020[https://www.gov.za/shongwe-urges-breyten-woman-not-call-police-%E2%80%9Cdogs%E2%80%9D – Shongwe urges Breyten woman not to call police 'dogs'], Government of South Africa,9 May 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2020[https://www.iol.co.za/news/police-are-not-dogs-shongwe-1066494 Police are not dogs: Shongwe], IOL, 9 May 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2020 While he was in this role, David Mabuza took extended sick leave and Shongwe was appointed acting Premier of Mpumalanga in his stead between September and November 2015.{{Cite web |last=Seale |first=Lebogang |date=1 October 2015 |title=Premier Mabuza ‘recuperating’ |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/premier-mabuza-recuperating-1923384 |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=IOL |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=27 January 2016 |title=Mpumalanga premier claims he was poisoned |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/mpumalanga-premier-claims-he-was-poisoned-20160127 |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}
After the 2016 local government elections, Mabuza reshuffled his cabinet and appointed Shongwe his MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs.[https://www.mpumalanganews.co.za/282868/mabuza-reshuffles-mpumalanga-mecs Mabuza reshuffles Mpumalanga MECs], Mpumalanga News, 19 August 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2020 He also became Leader of Government Business in the Mpumalanga legislature under Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane. In February 2020, Premier Mtsweni-Tsipane assigned him to meet with Russia's Sverdlovsk region minister of international and foreign economic affairs, Visiliy Kozlov, for bilateral talks held in Mbombela.[https://013.co.za/2020/02/07/premier-delegates-vusi-shongwe-sign-agreement-russian-govt/ Premier delegates Vusi Shongwe to sign agreement with Russian Govt], 013NEWS, 7 February 2020
In April 2020, Shongwe called on families and municipalities in Mpumalanga to consider starting vegetable gardens in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in South Africa, as an alternative to receiving food donations.[https://mpumalanganews.co.za/381940/food-gardens-better-than-relying-on-food-parcels-shongwe/ 'Food gardens better than relying on food parcels – Shongwe], Mpumalanga News, 30 April 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020
On 24 February 2021, Shongwe returned to his old portfolio as MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison.{{Cite web |title=Mpumalanga Premier reshuffles cabinet | eNCA |url=https://www.enca.com/news/mpumalanga-premier-reshuffles-cabinet}} Shongwe was not included in newly elected premier Mandla Ndlovu's Executive Council following the 2024 election.{{Cite web |last=Yende |first=Sizwe sama |title=Premier Mandla Ndlovu surrounds himself with allies in new Mpumalanga cabinet |url=https://www.news24.com/citypress/politics/premier-mandla-ndlovu-surrounds-himself-with-allies-in-new-mpumalanga-cabinet-20240619 |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=City Press |language=en-US}}
African National Congress positions
In December 2015, Shongwe was elected the provincial treasurer of the ANC in Mpumalanga during an elective congress that also elected Mabuza for a third term as ANC provincial chairperson.{{Cite web |date=2015-12-15 |title=Mabuza remains ANC number one |url=http://lowvelder.co.za/307523/mabuza-remains-anc-number-one/ |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=Lowvelder |language=en-US}}[https://www.politicsweb.co.za/politics/dd-mabuza-reelected-anc-mpumalanga-chairperson DD Mabuza re-elected ANC Mpumalanga chairperson], Politics Web, 13 December 2015 Before that, Shongwe had served as regional chairperson of the ANC in the party's large Gert Sibande region.[https://www.highvelder.co.za/11574/anc-welcomes-back-former-members-eff-pac/ ANC welcome back former members from EFF and PAC], Highvelder, 8 September 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2020
Personal life
Shongwe lives in Ermelo in Gert Sibande District Municipality. He is married to Charmaine Zwane and they have three children.[http://highvelder.co.za/40529/mec-ties-the-knot-2 MEC ties the knot], Highvelder, 28 September 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2020 Their third child, Sethu Thandiswa, died on 15 April 2015 at the age of eight when she was hit by a speeding car while crossing a street.[https://standertonadvertiser.co.za/19053/mec-shongwes-child-dies-in-a-car-accident-2/ MEC Shongwe's child dies in a car accident], Standerton Advertiser, 21 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2020[https://mpumalanganews.co.za/216659/mec-shongwes-child-dies-in-a-car-accident/ MEC Shongwe's child dies in a car accident], Mpumalanga News, 16 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2020
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{People's Assembly (South Africa)|vusumuzi-robert-shongwe|Vusumuzi Robert Shongwe}}
{{Mpumalanga MPLs|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shongwe, Vusi}}