Sizophila Mpilo-Iyaqhubeka Magnficent Mkhize (born 26 January 1992) is a South African politician from KwaZulu-Natal. Formerly a youth activist, she has represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature since 2024.
Sizophila Mkhize | |
|---|---|
| Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature | |
| Assumed office 14 June 2024 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 February 1992 |
| Party | African National Congress |
| Profession | Politician |
Early life and activism
editMkhize was born on 26 December 1992[1] in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, where she grew up.[2]
She rose to political prominence in the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in KwaZulu-Natal.[3] According to Mkhize, she was recruited into the ANCYL and Congress of South African Students in 2006, aged 14.[2]
Political career
editAt the ANCYL's national conference in Midrand in September 2015, Mkhize was elected as an ordinary member of the league's National Executive Committee,[4] though the leadership corps was disbanded by the party's national leadership in 2019. The so-called National Youth Task Team was appointed to lead the ANCYL into the next elective conference instead, and in October 2019, Mkhize was co-opted as a member of the task team.[5] In that capacity, she caused a minor stir in 2021 by complaining on Facebook that ANC staffers had barred her from an ANC National Executive Committee lekgottla because her dress was "too short";[6][7] national ANC politicians came to her defense, with Malusi Gigaba posting on Instagram that the incident was "very humiliating to her and to all of us that abhor gender-based violence."[8]
In July 2022, Mkhize was also elected as an ordinary member of the mainstream ANC's Provincial Executive Committee in KwaZulu-Natal.[9] By that time, she was considered a likely candidate to stand for election as national president of the ANCYL at its next national conference.[10] In the first half of 2023 she openly campaigned for the position.[11] However, in June 2023, she withdrew abruptly from the race, saying that she did not intend to seek any further provincial or national offices in the ANCYL.[12][13]
In the May 2024 general election, Mkhize was elected to represent the ANC in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, ranked fifth on the provincial party list.[1] She was also elected as chairperson of the legislature's Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts, and Culture.[2][14] She was the youngest member of, and the only ANCYL representative in, the ANC's caucus in the legislature.[15]
Political views
editDuring the civil unrest of July 2021 in KwaZulu-Natal, Mkhize made an inflammatory speech to supporters in Phoenix, where there had recently been an outbreak of violence between local residents of black and Indian backgrounds.[16] Speaking in Zulu, Mkhize lambasted Indian South Africans as murderers and claimed that "the economy of KZN and that of eThekwini are in the control of people of Indian ancestry".[17] The national ANC leadership said that Mkhize would face internal disciplinary charges for her remarks, which national spokesperson Pule Mabe described as "derogatory and racist".[17] In later months, Mkhize continued to call for an "audit" in eThekwini to determine the proportion of municipal contracts awarded to Indian-owned businesses.[18]
Mkhize has said that she opposed Cyril Ramaphosa's re-election as national ANC president in December 2022 and campaigned instead for Zweli Mkhize's election.[19]
Ahead of the 2024 general election, Mkhize opposed proposals to enter into a coalition with the largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), which she said was "the National Party of our day"; in her view, sharing political power with the DA was tantamount to "giving back power to apartheid".[19] Mkhize advocated for competing with the Economic Freedom Fighters for the youth vote by not being "afraid to be seen to be radical".[19]
Personal life
editMkhize has children.[2]
References
edit- 1 2 "Final Candidate Lists for 2024 National and Provincial Elections: Provincial Candidates" (PDF). Electoral Commission of South Africa. 10 April 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- 1 2 3 4 Jack, Sipho (18 August 2025). "Sizophila Mkhize: A beacon of hope for women's empowerment in South Africa". IOL. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ Motha, Sandile (22 August 2022). "KwaZulu-Natal firebrand Sizophila Mkhize is ready to lead ANCYL". Sunday World. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ Quintal, Genevieve (6 September 2015). "The newly elected ANCYL leadership". News24. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ "ANC bails out troubled child ANCYL over debts 'in the region of millions'". Sunday Times. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ "ANCYL leader barred from NEC venue because of her dress code". Sowetan. 19 January 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ Visser, Alison (29 January 2020). "Why are women still getting a dressing-down?". News24. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ "From 'short dress' to 'bum short', Mkhize hogs ANC NEC lekgotla". Sowetan. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ "Ex-chair Sihle Zikalala fails to make it into ANC KZN provincial executive committee". Sowetan. 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ↑ Tandwa, Lizeka (6 February 2022). "'ANC Youth League must choose female leader'". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ "ANC youth league presidential candidate lobbies for second secretary general". The Mail & Guardian. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ "Weakened KZN ANCYL still hopes for a "bite" at conference debates". The Mail & Guardian. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ Nkosi, Xolile (5 June 2023). "Top candidate PULLS out of ANCYL presidency race!". Daily Sun. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ "KZN Legislature committee raises concerns over rural sports facilities". The Witness. 16 March 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ Phungula, Willem (26 May 2025). "KZN ANC youth league's jockeying for power is 'driven by greed'". IOL. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ "Two KZN political activists in hot water over inflammatory remarks on Phoenix killings". SABC News. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- 1 2 "ANCYL's Sizophila Mkhize yet to see charge sheet for 'racist' Phoenix remarks". Daily Dispatch. 2 August 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Motha, Sandile (25 June 2024). "Those who didn't vote ANC must shut up on GNU issues - Mkhize". Sunday World. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 Makhaye, Chris (26 February 2023). "ANCYL presidential hopeful Sizophila Mkhize wants to take on the EFF". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
External links
edit- Ms Sizophila Mkhize at People's Assembly