# Executive Council of KwaZulu-Natal

The Executive Council of KwaZulu-Natal is the cabinet of the executive branch of the provincial government in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. The Members of the Executive Council (MECs) are appointed from among the members of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature by the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, an office held since May 2024 by Thami Ntuli of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).

## Mkhize premiership: 2009–2013

After his election in the 2009 general election, Premier Zweli Mkhize announced his new Executive Council on 11 May 2009. Weeks afterwards, Bheki Cele resigned as MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, in order to become National Police Commissioner. On 29 July, Mkhize announced that Cele would be replaced by Willies Mchunu, and that Nomusa Dube-Ncube would in turn take over Mchunu's portfolio, Local Government and Traditional Affairs. In November 2011, Mkhize announced a reshuffle of his cabinet which affected four portfolios.
KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council 2009–2013 :
| Post | Member | Term | Term | Party |
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Zweli Mkhize | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Ina Cronje | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Health | Sibongiseni Dhlomo | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Senzo Mchunu | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development and Tourism | Mike Mabuyakhulu | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development | Meshack Radebe | 2011 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development | Lydia Johnson | 2009 | 2011 | ANC |
| MEC for Human Settlement and Public Works | Ravi Pillay | 2011 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Human Settlement and Public Works | Maggie Govender | 2009 | 2011 | ANC |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Willies Mchunu | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Bheki Cele | 2009 | 2009 | ANC |
| MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs | Willies Mchunu | 2009 | 2009 | ANC |
| MEC for Social Development | Weziwe Thusi | 2011 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Social Development | Meshack Radebe | 2009 | 2011 | ANC |
| MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation | Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha | 2011 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation | Weziwe Thusi | 2009 | 2011 | ANC |

## Senzo Mchunu premiership: 2013–2016

When Senzo Mchunu succeeded Zweli Mkhize as Premier in September 2013, he retained Mkhize's Executive Council but appointed Peggy Nkonyeni to replace himself as MEC for Education. Following the next general election in May 2014, in which Mchunu was elected to a full term as Premier, he again largely preserved the composition of the Executive Council; he made only two new appointments, replacing the MEC for Finance and MEC for Agriculture. He also effected a minor restructuring of the Executive Council, transferring environmental affairs from the Agriculture and Rural Development portfolio to the Economic Development and Tourism portfolio.
KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council 2013–2016 :
| Post | Member | Term | Term | Party |
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Senzo Mchunu | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Belinda Scott | 2014 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Ina Cronje | 2013 | 2014 | ANC |
| MEC for Health | Sibongiseni Dhlomo | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Peggy Nkonyeni | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Mike Mabuyakhulu | 2014 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development and Environmental Affairs | Mike Mabuyakhulu | 2013 | 2014 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Cyril Xaba | 2014 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development | Meshack Radebe | 2013 | 2014 | ANC |
| MEC for Human Settlement and Public Works | Ravi Pillay | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Willies Mchunu | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Cooperative and Traditional Affairs | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Social Development | Weziwe Thusi | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation | Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |

## Willies Mchunu premiership: 2016–2019

Willies Mchunu replaced Senzo Mchunu as Premier in May 2016 and the following month he announced a reshuffle of the Executive Council, in which he fired four MECs and appointed Mxolisi Kaunda to take over his own former portfolio as MEC for Transport and Community Safety. Senzo Mchunu's supporters described the reshuffle as a purge of politicians who had supported Senzo Mchunu's failed bid to gain re-election as Provincial Chairperson of the governing ANC.
KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council 2016–2019 :
| Post | Member | Term | Term | Party |
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Willies Mchunu | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Belinda Scott | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Health | Sibongiseni Dhlomo | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Mthandeni Dlungwana | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Peggy Nkonyeni | 2016 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Sihle Zikalala | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Mike Mabuyakhulu | 2016 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Themba Mthembu | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Cyril Xaba | 2016 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Human Settlement and Public Works | Ravi Pillay | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Mxolisi Kaunda | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Cooperative and Traditional Affairs | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Social Development | Weziwe Thusi | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation | Bongi Sithole-Moloi | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation | Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha | 2016 | 2016 | ANC |

## Zikalala premiership: 2019–2022

Pursuant to the May 2019 general election, Sihle Zikalala was elected Premier and announced his new Executive Council. On 11 September 2019, he appointed Bheki Ntuli as MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison; Ntuli succeeded Mxolisi Kaunda, who had left the provincial government to become Mayor of eThekwini. On 17 November 2020, Zikalala announced that Nomusa Dube-Ncube, formerly the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, had swopped portfolios with Ravi Pillay, formerly the MEC for Finance. In January 2021, Ntuli died; he was replaced in March by Peggy Nkonyeni, formerly the MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement, who in turn was replaced by Jomo Sibiya.
KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council 2019–2022 :
| Post | Member | Term | Term | Party |
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Sihle Zikalala | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2020 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Ravi Pillay | 2019 | 2020 | ANC |
| MEC for Health | Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Kwazi Mshengu | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Ravi Pillay | 2020 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2019 | 2020 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Bongi Sithole-Moloi | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement | Jomo Sibiya | 2021 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement | Peggy Nkonyeni | 2019 | 2021 | ANC |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Peggy Nkonyeni | 2021 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Bheki Ntuli | 2019 | 2021 | ANC |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Mxolisi Kaunda | 2019 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Sipho Hlomuka | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Social Development | Nonhlanhla Khoza | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Arts and Culture, Sports and Recreation | Hlengiwe Mavimbela | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |

## Dube-Ncube premiership: 2022–2024

On 10 August 2022, Nomusa Dube-Ncube was elected Premier following Sihle Zikalala's resignation from the office; she announced her new Executive Council the following day, making several significant changes from Zikalala's cabinet. In late January 2023, the ANC announced that Zikalala would resign from his position as MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in order to join the National Assembly; Bongi Sithole-Moloi took over his position in the Executive Council a week later, and Sithole's former portfolio, Agriculture and Rural Development, was in turn filled by Super Zuma. The Executive Council was reshuffled once again on 23 May 2023 to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Amanda Mapena. The MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement Ntuthuko Mahlaba was appointed to succeed Mapena as the MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture while Sipho Nkosi joined the Executive Council and took over Mahlaba's position.
KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council 2022–2024 :
| Post | Member | Term | Term | Party |
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Peggy Nkonyeni | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Health | Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Mbali Frazer | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Siboniso Duma | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Super Zuma | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Bongi Sithole-Moloi | 2022 | 2023 | ANC |
| MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement | Sipho Nkosi | 2023 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement | Ntuthuko Mahlaba | 2022 | 2023 | ANC |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Sipho Hlomuka | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Bongi Sithole-Moloi | 2023 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Sihle Zikalala | 2022 | 2023 | ANC |
| MEC for Social Development | Nonhlanhla Khoza | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture | Ntuthuko Mahlaba | 2023 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture | Amanda Mapena | 2022 | 2023 | ANC |

## Ntuli premiership: 2024–present

No party won a majority of seats in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature in the 2024 provincial election. The African National Congress, previously the party's governing party, collapsed to third place while the newly established uMkhonto weSizwe won a plurality of seats in the legislature. The Inkatha Freedom Party won the second-most seats in the legislature and opted to form a "Provincial Government of Unity" with the ANC, the Democratic Alliance, and the National Freedom Party. The IFP's Thami Ntuli was elected Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, while the ANC and the DA received the Speaker and Deputy Speaker position in the legislature. On 18 June 2024, Ntuli announced his Executive Council comprising four IFP members, three ANC members, two DA members and one NFP member.
KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council 2024 :
| Post | Member | Term | Term | Party |
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Thami Ntuli | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP |
| MEC for Finance | Francois Rodgers | 2024 | Incumbent | DA |
| MEC for Health | Nomagugu Simelane | 2024 | Incumbent | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Sipho Hlomuka | 2024 | Incumbent | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Musa Zondi | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP |
| MEC for Transport and Human Settlements | Siboniso Duma | 2024 | Incumbent | ANC |
| MEC for Social Development | Mbali Shinga | 2024 | Incumbent | NFP |
| MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Thulasizwe Buthelezi | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP |
| MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure | Martin Meyer | 2024 | Incumbent | DA |
| MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture | Mntomuhle Khawula | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP |