Baleka Mbete Biography
Baleka Mbete is a South African politician and the Speaker for the National Assembly and Chairperson of the African National Congress. She also serves as a member of Parliament and is a member of the Constitutional Assembly.
Baleka Mbete Age
Baleka Mbete was born on 24th September 1949 in South Africa. Her birth sign is Libra. She celebrates her birthday on September 24th every year. She is a South African citizen.
Baleka Mbete Parents
Not much is known about Mbaleka’s parents, Mother and father’s identity, all that we know is that her family made the decision to move to Fort Hare University due to her father’s appointment as the institution’s librarian.
Baleka Mbete photoDue to her father’s affiliation with organizations such as the South African Indian Congress and the South African Communist Party, Mbete became very aware and knowledgeable about the issues that happened in South Africa.
Unfortunately, after the institution learned of her father’s affiliation with the South African Communist Party in addition to the recent shutdown of all political undertakings on the campus, the institution removed and released Mbete’s father from his position as librarian.
Baleka Mbete Education Qualifications
Ended 2000: Post Graduate Certificate International Humanitarian & Human Rights Law at the University of Cape Town. Ended 1999: Post Graduate Certificate Basic Principles of Pub International Law at the University of Cape Town.
Ended 1998: Post Graduate Certificate Framework for Governance at the University of Cape Town. Ended 1973: Certificate of Teaching, Lovedale Teachers College.
Baleka Mbete Gets Married
National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete celebrated her 67th birthday in style by exchanging vows with her long-time partner Mokgatla Khomo, at her Gumatana village in Mqanduli. Free State-based businessman Khomo is 10 years younger than the ANC chairwoman. It is a second marriage for both.
The bride’s brother, Mphakama Mbete, said he was not surprised his sister had decided to get married in her later years because she was following in the footsteps of international icon Nelson Mandela. Madiba was 80 and Graca Machel was 55 years old when they tied the knot in 1988.“We have learned from this, there is no age limit when you want to get married,” said Mphakama.
Addressing guests, the groom said: “I have never been so happy as I am now in my life. I do not love her as the speaker or former deputy president, but I love her as Baleka.”Khomo’s daughter, Makhotso Khomo, said she was very happy for her parents.“I have never seen my dad this happy in my life. For Mom B, as I always refer to her, I am so happy that we traveled this far in order to make you our makoti.
Baleka Mbete Keorapetse Kgositsile
Mbete is the ex-wife of poet and activist Keorapetse Kgositsile.the two got married in 1979 and they had two children together. Kgositsile died in Johannesburg on January 3, 2018, at the age of 79 after a short illness. The people’s poet is survived by his wife‚ Baby Dorcas Kgositsile‚ seven children and several grandchildren.
Baleka Mbete Husband Funeral
Speaker of parliament Baleka Mbete on 16 January 2018 bid an emotional farewell to her ex-husband‚ the late poet laureate Professor Keorapetse Kgositsile.
Attending the special official funeral service for Kgositsile in Johannesburg‚ Mbete was seen with tears rolling down her face during the service.Mbete‚ who also attended a memorial service last week‚ married the then exiled poet Kgositsile in 1979. The couple had two children together.
Kgositsile died in Johannesburg on January 3 at the age of 79 after a short illness. The people’s poet is survived by his wife‚ Baby Dorcas Kgositsile‚ seven children and several grandchildren.
The funeral was attended by politicians‚ poets‚ musicians and many other contributors to arts and culture. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver a eulogy.
Baleka Mbete Children
Mbete is a mother of 5 and enjoys 4 grandchildren. Baleka has a son and daughter known as Duma Kgositsile – Son and Nkuli Kgositsile – Daughter.
Baleka Mbete Sithembile Mbete
It is not yet confirmed whether Mbaleka is related to Sithembile Mbete, yes the two ladies share a common surname but it could be just a mere coincidence. Sithembile Mbete is a lecturer in the Department of Political Sciences at the University of Pretoria where she lecturers International Relations (IR) and South African politics.
She is also a doctoral candidate at the university, researching South African foreign policy during its tenure in the United Nations Security Council in 2007-2008 and 2011-2012. Her IR research interests include foreign policy, global governance, middle powers, the United Nations, and decolonizing IR theory.
Baleka Mbete Salary/Net Worth
According to Forbes Mbete’s net worth is under review at the moment. She has made a significant amount of money from her political career and other business ventures. Talking about her salary and annual income she has not given the exact amount she earns.
However, as speaker of the national assembly, Mbete was paid R2‚716‚798 (equivalent to US$170,000) a year as of April 2015 making her the highest-paid member of the South African Parliament at the time. It’s evident that she is enjoying a lavish lifestyle with a beautiful house and a fleet of cars under her .name
Baleka Mbete Exile
In 1976 he went to exile and she taught in Mbabane in Swaziland, and went on to work for the African National Congress (ANC) in several other African cities, including Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Nairobi in Kenya, Gaborone in Botswana, Harare in Zimbabwe, and Lusaka in Zambia. She returned to South Africa from exile in June 1990.
Baleka Mbete Teaching
She taught at Isibonelo high school for one year from 1974 to 1975. She also taught at Mater Dolorosa High School from 1978 to 1981.
Baleka Mbete Politician
She was elected the secretary-general of the ANC Women’s League in 1991 until 1993. In 1994 she was elected as an MP for the ANC and was appointed the chair of the ANC parliamentary caucus in 1995 and was the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa from 1996 to 2004.
Appointed by the late President Nelson Mandela to the leadership of the new parliament back in 1996 as Deputy Speaker (deputizing Speaker Ginwala), she has been part of establishing a new parliamentary sector and culture. She spearheaded the formulation of the FMPPLA, the Financial Management of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, which guides the whole legislative sector.
From April 2004, Mbete became the Speaker of the National Assembly. On 18 December 2007, at the 52nd National Elective Conference of the ANC held in Polokwane, Mbete was elected as the ANC’s national chairperson. On 25th September 2008, she was appointed by Motlanthe as Deputy President.
On 10 May 2009, she was replaced as Deputy President by incoming President Jacob Zuma, who elected to appoint Motlanthe as his deputy. In May 2014 she was nominated for the position of Speaker of the National Assembly.
On 10 September 2014, five opposition parties, including the Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters, stated that they planned to submit a motion of no confidence in Mbete; They claimed that she could not simultaneously serve as chairwoman of the ANC and as Speaker of the National Assembly.
A debate held in Parliament on 16 September resulted in the motion being rejected by 234 votes to none. This was a result of opposition parties collectively walking out of the house after the ANC tried to change the vote into one of confidence in Mbete instead.
Baleka Mbete Political Positions
May 2014- Present: Speaker of the Government of South Africa.
2007- Present: National Chairperson of the African National Congress.
2008- 2009: Deputy President of South Africa.
2004-2008: Speaker of the National Assembly, Parliament of South Africa.
1996- 2004: Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Parliament of South Africa.
1994: National Spokesperson of the African National Congress.
1991-1993: Secretary-General African National Congress Women’s League.
Baleka Mbete Membership
Member of the Presidential Panel on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Member of the ANC National Executive Committee
Baleka Mbete Honour
Ms. Mbete was recently awarded the 2016 King Legacy Award by the Martin Luther King Jr Foundation, in the United States for her distinguished leadership roles over the years and for her positive contributions in the global community.
Baleka Mbete And Malusi Gigaba
on 21 May 2019, Malusi Gigaba declined the opportunity to return to parliament as an MP. Baleka Mbete also refused to take up her seat in the National Assembly. Mbete has withdrawn her name from the list of candidates to be sworn in by chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng as MPs.
Gigaba, the former home affairs minister, has also declined the opportunity to return to parliament as an MP.”Indeed Malusi and Ms. Mbete have withdrawn from the list,” said ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe, confirming a rumor that had been doing rounds in parliament since Monday night.
Mbete’s bowing out brings to a close a 20-year career in parliament, for 14 years of which she was speaker, the most senior political position in the National Assembly.
According to an ANC source, she declined the parliamentary seat following the ANC’s national executive committee meeting held in Cape Town on Monday. The committee overlooked her and decided to deploy Thandi Modise to the powerful speaker position.
Baleka Mbete Kiss Ramaphosa
Cyril Ramaphosa received applause and cheers when he was sworn in as South Africa’s new president in Parliament on Thursday. But Baleka Mbete, who was sitting next to him, appeared a little too excited.
The Speaker of the National Assembly planted a kiss on Cyril’s cheek and then proceeded to rub her lipstick off. She also playfully tapped his face with her finger. The moment raised many eyebrows, with some viewers thinking she kissed the president on his lips.
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