The Honourable
Vusi Shongwe
MPL
MEC for the Department of Security, Community Safety and Liaison
Assumed office
24 February 2021
PremierRefilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane
Preceded byGabisile Tshabalala
In office
July 2011 – August 2016
PremierDavid Mabuza
Preceded bySibongile Manana
Succeeded byPat Ngomane
MEC for the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs
In office
17 August 2016 – 24 February 2021
Preceded byAndries Gamede
Succeeded byMandla Msibi
Acting Premier of Mpumalanga
In office
August 2015 – November 2015
PresidentJacob Zuma
Provincial treasurer of the Mpumalanga ANC
Assumed office
December 2015
Preceded byAndries Gamede
Personal details
Born
Vusumuzi Robert Shongwe

(1958-04-22) 22 April 1958
Breyten, Mpumalanga
CitizenshipSouth Africa
NationalitySouth African
Political partyAfrican National Congress
Spouse
Charmaine Zwane
​
(m. 2016)​
ChildrenOnly 3 known, one of them was fatally hit by a car in 2015
ResidenceErmelo
ProfessionPolitician

Vusumuzi Robert Shongwe (born 22 April 1958) is a South African politician who is currently serving in the provincial legislature and Executive Council in Mpumalanga province. Between September and November 2015, Shongwe served as acting Premier of Mpumalanga while Premier David Mabuza was on sick leave. He is a member of the African National Congress and was formerly treasurer of the party's provincial executive committee in Mpumalanga, previously the chairperson of the ANC in the Gert Sibande region.

Early life

Vusumuzi Robert Shongwe was born on 22 April 1958 in Breyten near Ermelo in what is now Mpumalanga province.[1]

Career in government

In the 2014 South African general election, Shongwe was elected as a member of the Mpumalanga provincial legislature for the African National Congress (ANC).[2] He was appointed Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Community Safety, Security and Liaison in the province,[3] in which capacity he was the political head of the provincial security structure.[4][5][6][7] While he was in this role, David Mabuza took extended sick leave and Shongwe was appointed acting Premier of Mpumalanga in his stead between September and November 2015.[3][8][9]

After the 2016 local government elections, Mabuza reshuffled his cabinet and appointed Shongwe his MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs.[10] He also became Leader of Government Business in the Mpumalanga legislature under Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane.[11] In February 2020, Premier Mtsweni-Tsipane assigned him to meet with Russia's Sverdlovsk region minister of international and foreign economic affairs, Visiliy Kozlov, for bilateral talks held in Mbombela.[11]

In April 2020, Shongwe called on families and municipalities in Mpumalanga to consider starting vegetable gardens in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in South Africa, as an alternative to receiving food donations.[12]

On 24 February 2021, Shongwe returned to his old portfolio as MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison.[13]

African National Congress positions

In December 2015, Shongwe was elected the provincial treasurer of the ANC in Mpumalanga during an elective congress that also elected Mabuza for a third term as ANC provincial chairperson.[14][15] Before that, Shongwe had served as regional chairperson of the ANC in the party's large Gert Sibande region.[16]

Personal life

Shongwe lives in Ermelo in Gert Sibande District Municipality. He is married to Charmaine Zwane and they have three children.[17] Their third child, Sethu Thandiswa, died on 15 April 2015 at the age of eight when she was hit by a speeding car while crossing a street.[18][19]

References

  1. ↑ "Ehlanzeni ANC wants Vusi Shongwe as deputy chair". 013NEWS. 3 February 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  2. ↑ "Vusumuzi Robert Shongwe". People's Assembly. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Mpumalanga's premier to return to work next week – spokesperson". News24. 10 November 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  4. ↑ Govt to help bury crash victims, SA News,7 February 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2020
  5. ↑ Man arrested for rape and murder, News24, 9 June 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2020
  6. ↑ – Shongwe urges Breyten woman not to call police 'dogs', Government of South Africa,9 May 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2020
  7. ↑ Police are not dogs: Shongwe, IOL, 9 May 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2020
  8. ↑ Seale, Lebogang (1 October 2015). "Premier Mabuza 'recuperating'". IOL. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  9. ↑ "Mpumalanga premier claims he was poisoned". News24. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  10. ↑ Mabuza reshuffles Mpumalanga MECs, Mpumalanga News, 19 August 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2020
  11. 1 2 Premier delegates Vusi Shongwe to sign agreement with Russian Govt, 013NEWS, 7 February 2020
  12. ↑ 'Food gardens better than relying on food parcels – Shongwe, Mpumalanga News, 30 April 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020
  13. ↑ "Mpumalanga Premier reshuffles cabinet | eNCA".
  14. ↑ "Mabuza remains ANC number one". Lowvelder. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  15. ↑ DD Mabuza re-elected ANC Mpumalanga chairperson, Politics Web, 13 December 2015
  16. ↑ ANC welcome back former members from EFF and PAC, Highvelder, 8 September 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2020
  17. ↑ MEC ties the knot, Highvelder, 28 September 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2020
  18. ↑ MEC Shongwe's child dies in a car accident, Standerton Advertiser, 21 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2020
  19. ↑ MEC Shongwe's child dies in a car accident, Mpumalanga News, 16 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2020
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