Baleka Mbete
Encyclopedia
Baleka Mbete is the former Deputy President of South Africa
. She was previously Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa
from 2004 to 2008.
The ANC announced that she will be deployed to Luthuli House to be the link between the ruling party and government.
.
, and went on to work for the African National Congress
in several other African cities including Dar es Salaam
, Nairobi
, Gaborone
, Harare
, and Lusaka
.
She led the Medu Art Ensemble, was the secretary-general of ANC Women's League from 1991 to 1993, and the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa
from 1996 to 2004.
Mbete was a member of the Presidential Panel on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the ANC National Executive Committee
, and the Pan-African Parliament
.
In 2007 Mbete became the ANC's national chairperson.
public transport project in the province Gauteng
. Dyambu Holdings is reported to have had links with murdered magnate Brett Kebble
.
In 2007, Mbete suspended DA member Mike Waters after he attempted to ask what was being done about the Manto Tshabalala-Msimang
scandal. Waters had asked about a reported conviction for theft of the Minister of Health, while the latter had been a nurse in Botswana.
Mbete was one of more than 200 South African parliamentarians found to have misused subsidised travel privileges in the Travelgate scandal. She is reported to have paid back all moneys due in the liquidation of the travel agency former providing services to parliament.
In 2006, Mbete chartered a jet at a cost of R471 900 (around US$60 000) to fly to Liberia for the inauguration of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as president. The only other passenger on the plane was a member of her staff. Then president Thabo Mbeki and foreign minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma also travelled to the inauguration - Mbeki in his private plane and Dlamini-Zuma by commercial flight.
She has been a staunch supporter of Tony Yengeni
, a former ANC Chief Whip in parliament, who was convicted of defrauding parliament in 2004, even accompanying Yengeni to Pollsmoor Prison
when he reported to serve his sentence.
formally asked President Thabo Mbeki
to resign as President of South Africa. Mbete accepted Mbeki's resignation on 21 September.
Before 22 September, Mbete was speculated to succeed Mbeki as President, which would have made her the first female head of state in South Africa's history; however, the ANC announced that Kgalema Motlanthe, the Deputy President of the ANC, would assume that position. On 23 September, Mbete was announced by the SABC to be the most likely candidate for Deputy President of South Africa following Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
's resignation from the position, even though other reports had stated that Lindiwe Sisulu
would assume that position.
On 25 September 2008, she was appointed by Motlanthe as Deputy President. On 10 May 2009 she was replaced as Deputy President by incoming President Jacob Zuma
, who elected to appoint Motlanthe as his deputy.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. She was previously Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa
National Assembly of South Africa
The National Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa, located in Cape Town, Western Cape Province. It consists of no fewer than 350 and no more than 400 members...
from 2004 to 2008.
The ANC announced that she will be deployed to Luthuli House to be the link between the ruling party and government.
Teacher
She received a teacher's certificate from Lovedale Teachers' College and taught in DurbanDurban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
.
Politics
After going into exile Mbete taught in MbabaneMbabane
-References:...
, and went on to work for the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
in several other African cities including Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
, Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Gaborone
Gaborone
' is the capital and largest city of Botswana with a population of 191,776 based on a 2006 survey, about 10% of the total population of Botswana....
, Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
, and Lusaka
Lusaka
Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is located in the southern part of the central plateau, at an elevation of about 1,300 metres . It has a population of about 1.7 million . It is a commercial centre as well as the centre of government, and the four main highways of Zambia head...
.
She led the Medu Art Ensemble, was the secretary-general of ANC Women's League from 1991 to 1993, and the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa
National Assembly of South Africa
The National Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa, located in Cape Town, Western Cape Province. It consists of no fewer than 350 and no more than 400 members...
from 1996 to 2004.
Mbete was a member of the Presidential Panel on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the ANC National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee (African National Congress)
The ANC National Executive Committee is the chief executive organ of the South African political party, the African National Congress. It is elected at every National Conference; the executive committee, in turn, elects a National Working Committee for day-to-day decision-making responsibilities.On...
, and the Pan-African Parliament
Pan-African Parliament
The Pan-African Parliament , also known as the African Parliament, is the legislative body of the African Union and held its inaugural session in March 2004. The PAP exercises oversight, and has advisory and consultative powers, lasting for the first five years...
.
In 2007 Mbete became the ANC's national chairperson.
Business
Mbete is a shareholder in Dyambu Holdings which is involved in building the massive GautrainGautrain
Gautrain is an mass rapid transit railway system in Gauteng Province, South Africa, which links Johannesburg, Pretoria, and OR Tambo International Airport...
public transport project in the province Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
. Dyambu Holdings is reported to have had links with murdered magnate Brett Kebble
Brett Kebble
Roger Brett Kebble was a South African mining magnate with close links to factions in the ruling political party, the African National Congress. He was shot to death in 2005 by unknown assailants....
.
Controversies
In April 1997, Mbete was found to have received an improperly issued driver's license but not charged with any wrongdoing. This after investigators uncover widespread corruption in Mpumalanga regional driving license testing centers, where licenses are being issued in exchange for bribes. Mbete said that she had been "too busy" to stand in queues.In 2007, Mbete suspended DA member Mike Waters after he attempted to ask what was being done about the Manto Tshabalala-Msimang
Manto Tshabalala-Msimang
Dr. Mantombazana 'Manto' Edmie Tshabalala-Msimang was a South African politician. She was Deputy Minister of Justice from 1996 to 1999 and controversially served as Minister of Health from 1999 to 2008 under President Thabo Mbeki...
scandal. Waters had asked about a reported conviction for theft of the Minister of Health, while the latter had been a nurse in Botswana.
Mbete was one of more than 200 South African parliamentarians found to have misused subsidised travel privileges in the Travelgate scandal. She is reported to have paid back all moneys due in the liquidation of the travel agency former providing services to parliament.
In 2006, Mbete chartered a jet at a cost of R471 900 (around US$60 000) to fly to Liberia for the inauguration of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as president. The only other passenger on the plane was a member of her staff. Then president Thabo Mbeki and foreign minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma also travelled to the inauguration - Mbeki in his private plane and Dlamini-Zuma by commercial flight.
She has been a staunch supporter of Tony Yengeni
Tony Yengeni
Tony Sithembiso Yengeni is a South African politician. He was an anti-Apartheid activist and joined the African National Congress in 1976 and later its armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe. He has served as member of the South African parliament for the ruling ANC...
, a former ANC Chief Whip in parliament, who was convicted of defrauding parliament in 2004, even accompanying Yengeni to Pollsmoor Prison
Pollsmoor Prison
Pollsmoor Prison, officially, Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison is a prison in the Cape Town suburb of Tokai in South Africa. Nelson Mandela was the most famous inmate of the prison...
when he reported to serve his sentence.
Deputy President
On 20 September 2008, the African National CongressAfrican National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
formally asked President Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
to resign as President of South Africa. Mbete accepted Mbeki's resignation on 21 September.
Before 22 September, Mbete was speculated to succeed Mbeki as President, which would have made her the first female head of state in South Africa's history; however, the ANC announced that Kgalema Motlanthe, the Deputy President of the ANC, would assume that position. On 23 September, Mbete was announced by the SABC to be the most likely candidate for Deputy President of South Africa following Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is a South African politician who was Deputy President of South Africa from 2005 to 2008. She was the first woman to hold the position and was the highest ranking woman in the history of South Africa...
's resignation from the position, even though other reports had stated that Lindiwe Sisulu
Lindiwe Sisulu
Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu is a South African politician, member of parliament since 1994, member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress and Minister of Housing from 2004 to 2009, and Minister of Defence and Military Veterans since 2009.-Early life:Sisulu was born to ANC...
would assume that position.
On 25 September 2008, she was appointed by Motlanthe as Deputy President. On 10 May 2009 she was replaced as Deputy President by incoming President Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
, who elected to appoint Motlanthe as his deputy.