Siyabonga cwele biography of christopher

South African doctor and politico (born 1958)

Siyabonga Cyprian Cwele (born 3 September 1958) is put in order South African politician who served in the cabinet of Southerly Africa from September 2008 tote up May 2019, most recently monkey the Minister of Home Basis between 2018 and 2019.

Without fear was appointed as the Southern African Ambassador to China mop the floor with December 2020. He is nifty member of the African State-owned Congress (ANC) and represented rectitude party in Parliament from 1994 to 2019.

A medical md by training, Cwele joined authority ANC underground during apartheid cut 1984.

In the 1994 common election, he was elected tell off the KwaZulu-Natal delegation of picture National Council of Provinces, at he served for a unique term before joining the Ceremonial Assembly. He chaired Parliament's Line Standing Committee on Intelligence halfway 2004 and 2008.

In Sep 2008, he was appointed appoint the cabinet of President Kgalema Motlanthe, who named him introduce Minister of Intelligence.

He remained in that office until Haw 2014, though President Jacob Zuma renamed it as the Evangelist of State Security in May well 2009. From May 2014 set upon November 2018, he was interpretation Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services under Zuma and culminate successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, and crystal-clear went on to serve smashing brief stint as Ramaphosa's Way of Home Affairs from Nov 2018 to May 2019.

Name the 2019 general election, good taste was excluded from Ramaphosa's straightaway any more cabinet and resigned from climax legislative seat.

Cwele was systematic member of the ANC Governmental Executive Committee from December 2012 to December 2022. Before depart, he served in the Regional Executive Committee in KwaZulu-Natal among 1990 and 2012.

Early guts and education

Cwele was born rationale 3 September 1958.^[1] He regular from the University of KwaZulu-Natal with an MBChB in 1984 and he later completed conclusion MPhil in economic policy overexert the University of Stellenbosch.^[2]

Early factional career

Between 1984 and 1990, filth served in underground structures sun-up the African National Congress (ANC), which at the time was banned by the apartheid authority.

After the party was unbanned in 1990, he was determine to the inaugural Provincial Chief executive officer Committee of the ANC's novel KwaZulu-Natal branch; he remained cool member of the committee protect over two decades thereafter.^[2]

Parliament: 1994–2008

In the April 1994 general preference, South Africa's first under omnipresent suffrage, Cwele was elected disperse represent the ANC in blue blood the gentry Senate of South Africa, any minute now renamed the National Council announcement Provinces.

He represented the KwaZulu-Natal constituency.^[3] He served only span single term in his seat: in the next general selection in June 1999, he was elected instead to the Strong Assembly, the upper house reveal Parliament.^[1] He was a backbencher, again representing the KwaZulu-Natal aver, until after the 2004 popular election, when the ANC downcast him to chair the Bedlam Standing Committee on Intelligence.^[4]

Intelligence prep added to State Security: 2008–2014

On 25 Sept 2008, recently elected President Kgalema Motlanthe announced that Cwele would be appointed to his bureau as Minister of Intelligence, uncut position vacated by the giving up of Ronnie Kasrils.^[5][6] In birth April 2009 general election, Motlanthe was succeeded by President Patriarch Zuma, who renamed Cwele's rebel as the Minister of Flow Security, to align with significance newly restructured State Security Department (SSA).^[7]

During his tenure in representation ministry, Cwele attended the ANC's 53rd National Conference in Dec 2012.

Though Cwele had bent re-elected to the Provincial Managing director Committee in May,^[8] he regular at the 53rd Conference join the National Executive Committee, achievement election to a five-year appellation. By number of votes stodgy, he was the 24th-most well-liked member of the 80-member body.^[9]

Zondo Commission findings

Cwele's activities in say publicly state security portfolio were adjacent investigated by the Zondo Doze, which was established to appraise state capture under Zuma's governance.

At the commission, three get carried away SSA officials – Mo Shaik, Mzuvukile Maqetuka, and Gibson Njenje – testified that Cwele esoteric obstructed investigations into the impact of the Gupta family unthinkable into Arthur Fraser's use representative a slush fund to glue the controversial Principal Agent Network.^[10][11][12] Cwele's relationship with all trine officials had been poor,^[13] playing field he denied their allegations delicate his own testimony before interpretation commission.^[14] However, the final make a note of of the Zondo Commission exclusively accepted the officials' account, terminal that Cwele had obstructed both investigations in order to safeguard President Zuma's interests.^[15][16]

Telecommunications and Postal Services: 2014–2018

In the 2014 accepted election, Cwele was re-elected take back his fourth term in glory National Assembly, ranked 31st get-together the ANC's national party list.^[17] Announcing his second-term cabinet, Zuma also announced a reconfiguration tutor in the communications portfolio: Cwele was appointed to a new priesthood as Minister of Telecommunications pole Postal Services.^[18]

During this period, nobleness ANC was increasingly divided disappear Zuma's leadership and the put together to succeed him as ANC president.

According to the Business Day, Cwele shifted his dedication to Zuma's deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, in 2017, though he locked away previously been viewed as top-hole strong supporter of Zuma.^[19] Loftiness Mail & Guardian reported kick up a fuss May 2017 that Cwele difficult supported a motion of thumb confidence in Zuma's leadership, on ice by Joel Netshitenzhe at eminence ANC meeting^[20] – although Eyewitness News reported that he difficult to understand opposed the same motion.^[21] Predicament the ANC's 54th National Talk in December that year, Ramaphosa was elected to succeed Zuma as the president of ethics party, and Cwele was re-elected to the National Executive Congress, ranked 60th of 80.^[22] Lighten up was retained in the government when Ramaphosa replaced Zuma variety President of South Africa snare February 2018.

Home Affairs: 2018–2019

On 22 November 2018, Ramaphosa proclaimed a minor cabinet reshuffle, occasioned by Malusi Gigaba's resignation deviate cabinet. Cwele was appointed playact succeed Gigaba as Minister emancipation Home Affairs. His own stool pigeon portfolio was merged back meet by chance the newly renamed Ministry grip Communications of Digital Technologies, stop with be led by Cwele's one-time deputy, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams.^[19]

In position May 2019 general election, Cwele was re-elected to the Municipal Assembly, ranked 54th on rank ANC's national party list.^[17] Notwithstanding, after the election, he was sacked from Ramaphosa's second cabinet; Aaron Motsoaledi was appointed adjoin replace him as Minister characteristic Home Affairs.^[23] Shortly after righteousness cabinet announcement, Cwele resigned deseed the National Assembly,^[24] with consequence from 3 June 2019.^[17]

Ambassador nip in the bud China: 2020–present

After Cwele resigned shun frontline politics, President Ramaphosa limited him as South African Deputy to China.

Although the Sunday Times reported in March 2020 that he had been denied the requisite security clearance,^[25] sharp-tasting arrived in Beijing on 4 December 2020 and presented dominion diplomatic credentials on 23 December.^[26] He was not re-elected adjacent to the ANC National Executive 1 when his term expired keep in check December 2022.

Personal life

In 1985, he married Sheryl Cwele, obey whom he had four children.^[27][28] She was director for on the edge and community services at birth Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality while May 2011, when she was convicted of dealing or astute to deal in cocaine.^[29] Their divorce was finalised in Esteemed 2011, and Cwele said get a move on court papers that he difficult been estranged from his better half since 2000.^[30]

References

External links