Zilindile Vena
Zilindile Vena MPL | |
|---|---|
| Provincial Chairperson of the Economic Freedom Fighters | |
| Assumed office 6 November 2022 | |
| Deputy | Mlamli Makhetha Nokuthula Mlokoti |
| Preceded by | Yazini Tetyana |
| Member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature | |
| Assumed office 28 February 2023 | |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Economic Freedom Fighters |
| Profession | Politician |
Zilindile Vena is a South African politician who has been a member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature since 2023. He is the provincial chairperson of the Economic Freedom Fighters.
Political career
[edit]Vena was elected as a councillor for the Economic Freedom Fighters in Nelson Mandela Bay in 2016. In October 2018, Vena unsuccessfully stood for provincial chairperson of the EFF at the party's provincial conference.[1] He was elected to the EFF's Central Command Team at the party's National Peoples Assembly in December 2019.[2]
Vena resigned as a councillor of Nelson Mandela Bay and was suspended from party activities in February 2020 after he was accused of raping a Nelson Mandela University student.[3] Vena pleaded not guilty in February 2021, and he was acquitted of the charge in July 2022.[4][5]
Vena was elected provincial chairperson of the EFF in November 2022, defeating incumbent Yazini Tetyana by 33 votes.[6] He was sworn in as a member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature on 28 February 2023, succeeding Tetyana who resigned in January.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "EFF targets pupils voting for first time". DispatchLIVE. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ^ Cele, S’thembile. "EFF elects 40-member central command team". City Press. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ^ "EFF councillor accused of raping NMU student resigns". HeraldLIVE. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ^ "Former EFF councillor pleads not guilty to rape". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ^ "Fresh start for Zilindile Vena after rape acquittal". HeraldLIVE. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ^ "'It's a failure to all of you': Malema slams EFF branches for not electing women in top five leadership". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ^ "Bhisho legislature welcomes three new MPLs". DispatchLIVE. Retrieved 2023-03-09.