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Susan Shabangu

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Susan Shabangu
Shabangu in 2012
Member of the National Assembly
In office
9 May 1994 – 3 June 2019
Minister of Social Development
In office
26 February 2018 – 29 May 2019
PresidentCyril Ramaphosa
DeputyHendrietta Bogopane-Zulu
Preceded byBathabile Dlamini
Succeeded byLindiwe Zulu
Minister of Women in the Presidency
In office
26 May 2014 – 26 February 2018
PresidentJacob Zuma
Preceded byLulu Xingwana (for Women, Children and Persons with Disability)
Succeeded byBathabile Dlamini
Minister of Mineral Resources
In office
11 May 2009 – 25 May 2014
PresidentJacob Zuma
DeputyGodfrey Oliphant
Preceded byBuyelwa Sonjica
Succeeded byNgoako Ramatlhodi
Personal details
Born (1956-02-28) 28 February 1956 (age 68)
Political partyAfrican National Congress

Susan Shabangu (born 28 February 1956) is a South African politician and former trade unionist. She represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly of South Africa between May 1994 and June 2019. During that time she was a cabinet minister from 2009 to 2019.

Shabangu served as Minister of Social Development from February 2018 to May 2019, as Minister of Women from May 2014 to February 2018, and as Minister of Mineral Resources from May 2009 to May 2014. She entered the national executive in March 1996 as Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy in Nelson Mandela's government, and she also served as Deputy Minister of Safety and Security in Thabo Mbeki's government. She was a member of the ANC National Executive Committee between December 2007 and December 2022.

Education

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Susan Shabangu completed her high school career at Madibane High School in Soweto in 1977.[1]

Trade union activism

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Before being elected to government, Shabangu was active in the labour movement.[2] From 1980 to 1985, she was Assistant Secretary for the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW)[citation needed].[1] She was also a member of the Federation of Transvaal Women (FEDTRAW). In 1981 she was part of the Anti-Republic Campaign Committee. In 1982, she worked with the Release Mandela Campaign Committee. During 1984-85 she organized the Amalgamated Black Workers Project. She served on the Industrial Council and was the National Women's Coordinator of the Transport and General Workers Union (T&GWU). She served on the National Women's Sub-committee of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).[3]

Early career in government

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In South Africa's first democratic elections in April 1994, Shabangu was elected to represent the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly, the lower house of the new South African Parliament.[4] With Joyce Mabudafhasi and Elizabeth Thabethe, she was one of three women who represented COSATU, the ANC's Tripartite Alliance partner, in the ANC caucus.[5] She was a backbencher for two years, during which time she served on various portfolio committees.[6]

On 28 March 1996, President Nelson Mandela announced that he had decided to create the office of the Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy. Shabangu was appointed as the inaugural holder of the office.[7] She deputised Pik Botha of the opposition National Party until May 1996, when Botha's party left the Government of National Unity; from then onwards she was deputy to new Minister Penuell Maduna.[8] While serving in the ministry, Shabangu was also an advisor to COSATU's September Commission, which, under the leadership of Connie September, surveyed unionism's prospects in the post-apartheid era.[6]

Shabangu served as Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy until the April 2004 general election, a period that spanned the remainder of Mandela's presidency and the first term of Thabo Mbeki's presidency.[6] After the 2004 election, announcing his new cabinet on 28 April 2004, President Mbeki appointed her as Deputy Minister of Safety and Security under Minister Charles Nqakula.[9] In that portfolio she was best known for the widespread controversy that arose in April 2008, when, speaking of criminals, she told an audience of police officers in Pretoria that, "You must kill the bastards if they threaten you or the community".[10][11][12]

Ministerial career

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Mineral Resources: 2009–2014

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In the April 2009 general election, Shabangu was re-elected to her parliamentary seat and Jacob Zuma took office as president. On 10 May 2009, Zuma announced that he would elevate Shabangu to his cabinet as Minister of Mineral Resources (initially called Minister of Mining).[13][14] The portfolio was newly reconfigured, having previously been a part of the Ministry of Minerals and Energy. Shabangu served without a deputy until 31 October 2010, when Zuma appointed Godfrey Oliphant as Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources.[15]

In August 2012, following the Marikana massacre at Lonmin Platinum Mine near Rustenburg where 44 people were killed after police opened fire on striking workers belonging to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), Shabangu visited the area. Tasked with investigating what had happened, she reported to Parliament on 21 August 2012 that she had engaged all "affected parties". When questioned at the Marikana Commission of Inquiry on 26 August 2014 she admitted that these did not include the AMCU or representatives of the striking workers.[16]

Women: 2014–2018

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Shabangu was re-elected to the National Assembly in the May 2014 general election and she was appointed to Zuma's second-term cabinet, which was announced on 25 May. Zuma named her as Minister of Women, a reconfigured portfolio newly relocated to the Presidency.[17][18] When the Department of Women tabled its five-year strategic plan in 2015, the Mail & Guardian noted that 40 per cent of the department's R200-million annual budget was allocated to administration, remarking that the plan suggested that "Shabangu is supposed to be running some sort of research-heavy lobby group that spends too much money on administration and is unlikely to actually advance the cause of women one iota".[19]

Shabangu was one of 35 signatories to an open letter, coordinated by the One Campaign, which urged Angela Merkel of the G7 and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of the African Union to emphasise women's interests in international development initiatives.[20] In South Africa, she established a policy task team on access to feminine hygiene products.[18] Her ministry was also tasked with addressing gender-based violence,[21] though she was sometimes criticised for insensitive messaging on the subject.[22][18]

In August 2016, Shabangu was the acting President of South Africa while both Zuma and his deputy were both in Swaziland at a meeting of the Southern African Development Community.[23]

Social Development: 2018–2019

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In February 2018, Cyril Ramaphosa replaced Zuma in a midterm presidential election. Announcing his new cabinet on 26 February 2018, he appointed Shabangu as Minister of Social Development.[24] She succeeded Bathabile Dlamini, who took over her former portfolio.[25] The Daily Maverick described her new ministry as "a poisoned chalice of note";[26] her main task was to stabilise the social welfare system in the aftermath of the grants crisis.[27]

Shabangu was re-elected to her parliamentary seat in the May 2019 general election, ranked 63rd on the ANC's national list.[28] However, Ramaphosa's second-term cabinet, announced on 29 May, did not include Shabangu.[29][30] The following week she announced her resignation from Parliament.[31][32] The resignation took effect on 3 June 2019.[28]

Later career

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In 2020, to the disapproval of the opposition Democratic Alliance,[33] the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu, appointed Shabangu to a ministerial advisory committee on the water sector. Defending the appointment in the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Sisulu pointed to Shabangu's trade union experience as evidence of expertise in labour law, telling legislators that, "Susan Shabangu has more experience, more understanding of politics, more understanding of government than you could ever have."[34]

Shabangu's third term on the ANC National Executive Committee ended at the party's 55th National Conference in December 2017, and she was not re-elected.[35]

Personal life

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In March 2003 Shabangu was charged with public indecency after an altercation with an airport security official at Johannesburg International Airport.[36] She had lifted her dress in exasperation after repeatedly being asked to pass through a metal detector.[37]

Her daughter is a social worker.[38]

References

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  1. ^ a b Calland, Richard (16 August 2013). The Zuma years : South Africa's changing face of power. Penguin Random House South Africa. ISBN 978-1770220881. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  2. ^ "Newsmaker – Susan Shabangu: Woman on the edge of time". News24. 10 August 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Susan Shabangu". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  4. ^ South Africa: Campaign and Election Report April 26–29, 1994. International Republican Institute. 1994. Retrieved 13 April 2023 – via Yumpu.
  5. ^ Dove, Fiona (1994). "Questions of Accountability". Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity (20): 53–56. doi:10.2307/4065871. ISSN 1013-0950.
  6. ^ a b c "Susan Shabangu, Ms". South African Government. 11 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Address by President Nelson Mandela at the National Assembly, Cape Town". Nelson Mandela – Speeches. 28 March 1996. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Statement by President Nelson Mandela on the appointment of new Cabinet members". Nelson Mandela – Speeches. 13 May 1996. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Mbeki's cabinet list". News24. 28 April 2004. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Shoot to kill, minister tells SA police". Independent Online. 10 April 2008. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
  11. ^ "Zuma supports 'shoot to kill'". News24. 12 April 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  12. ^ "Shabangu's shoot-to-kill comments condemned". Mail & Guardian. 18 April 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  13. ^ "Statement by President Jacob Zuma on the appointment of the new Cabinet". South African Government. 10 May 2009. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Meet the Government: Department of Minerals and Energy". Sunday Times. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  15. ^ "President Zuma announces changes to the National Executive". South African Government. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  16. ^ Nicolson, Greg (26 August 2014). "Marikana Commission: Minister Shabangu can't act". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  17. ^ "President Jacob Zuma announces members of the National Executive". Government Communication and Information System. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  18. ^ a b c "South African Cabinet Report Cards: Susan Shabangu". Mail & Guardian. 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  19. ^ "South African Cabinet Report Cards: Susan Shabangu". Mail & Guardian. 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  20. ^ McVeigh, Tracy (7 March 2015). "Poverty is sexist: leading women sign up for global equality". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  21. ^ Masweneng, Kgaugelo (30 August 2017). "Susan Shabangu says violence against women not a crisis". Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  22. ^ "What department of women? For many, it may as well not exist". The Mail & Guardian. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  23. ^ "Susan Shabangu is president". Business Day. 29 August 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  24. ^ "New deputy president, finance minister announced in major Cabinet reshuffle". The Mail & Guardian. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  25. ^ "Susan Shabangu's mammoth task: Revitalise Social Development". Eyewitness News. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  26. ^ Thamm, Marianne (26 February 2018). "SassaGate Reloaded: Susan Shabangu steps into ring of fire as expert panel again warns of impending national crisis". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  27. ^ "Sassa: The more things change..." The Mail & Guardian. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  28. ^ a b "Ms Susan Shabangu". People's Assembly. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  29. ^ "Who's in and who's out of SA's 2019 cabinet". Sunday Times. 30 May 2019. Retrieved on 28 June 2019.
  30. ^ "14 dis-appointees who didn't make it back to Cabinet". News24. 30 May 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  31. ^ "Former minister Susan Shabangu tenders resignation as MP". The Sowetan. 6 June 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  32. ^ "Former social development minister Susan Shabangu quits parliament". Sunday Times. 6 June 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  33. ^ "Sisulu hires failed Minister Shabangu to advise on Water". Democratic Alliance. 25 May 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  34. ^ "Lindiwe Sisulu defends appointing former minister as new adviser". Sowetan. 26 May 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  35. ^ "Cabinet reshuffle imminent after more than a dozen ministers, deputies fail to make NEC cut". The Sowetan. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  36. ^ Michaels, Jeremy (3 May 2003). "High, mighty - and very angry". Independent Online. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  37. ^ "Deputy minister charged with public indecency". The Mail & Guardian. 31 March 2003. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  38. ^ "Passion, resilience and support a success recipe for Nomsa Shabangu". University of South Africa. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
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