New KZN Deputy Speaker hopes to inspire younger generation

Durban — Mmabatho Tembe arrived at the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature driving her Hyundai Creta to be sworn in as a Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL), but by the time she left Pietermaritzburg on Friday evening she was in a back seat of a Volvo SUV with her own driver having been elected as Deputy Speaker, an experience which she described as surreal.

Tembe, of the DA beat uMkhonto weSizwe MPL Ishan Barciela in a tight contest for the position.

“I slept at 2am on Saturday because there were over 200 messages of congratulations in my inbox and I responded to all of them.

“I have never had an experience like this, so it is quite difficult to describe,” she told Sunday Tribune.

She noted how she was one of the youngest people to be elected to the Speaker’s office, in the youth month of June.

“I hope that my election will inspire young people to be part of the political activity and engage meaningfully. If my occupation makes more people to want to join the politics field then part of my task would have been achieved,” she added.

Tembe is Durban-born and bred and matriculated at Queensburgh Girls High School, achieved a degree in Social Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, majoring in psychology and anthropology, and she also completed her Honours in counselling psychology. She also holds a certificate in project management from the University of Cape Town.

Mmabatho’s working career began as a research assistant to the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Durban University of Technology. After moving to Health Sciences Department as an academic development advisor, she initiated the programme “Girl Talk” to assist young women with social issues.

In 2014 she joined the DA in Ward 33 and became secretary of the Central Durban constituency. Two years later became an eThekwini Metro councillor. She also took up various other leadership positions within the DA’s structures in KZN.

As a DA eThekwini councillor, Tembe served on the Economic Development Committee, before moving to the Community Services Committee, where she served as a whip for two terms.

Party leader Francois Rodgers described Tembe’s election as an unprecedented achievement for the DA in KZN.

“We have no doubt that she will uphold the integrity of the institution while making a valuable contribution in this crucial role,” said Rodgers.

Part of Tembe’s duties include ensuring an efficient performing legislature including the portfolio committees, which oversee the functioning of government departments.

Sunday Tribune

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