Collen Sedibe

Michael Collen Sedibe (wey dem born on 23 September 1971) be South African politician wey currently dey serve as Member for Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature plus provincial leader for de official opposition party for de legislature, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). E join EFF for 2013 after African National Congress (ANC) expel am, den dem first elect am enter de provincial legislature for de 2014 general election. Insyd September 2022, dem elect am again for ein third term as EFF ein Provincial Chairperson for Mpumalanga.

 Early life den education 
Dem born Sedibe be on 23 September 1971. According to de EFF, e bin dey active insyd de South African Youth Congress plus de Congress of South African Students for de 1980s. Dem arrest am sake of ein anti-apartheid activism. E finish ein secondary school for 1992, den for 1994 e start to dey study public management for University of de North for Turfloop, wey there e join de South African Students Congress. Later, e join de trade union movement plus de African National Congress (ANC) and dem Youth League; ein local ANC branch dey White River insyd Mpumalanga. For 2017, e complete ein Master's degree for public management for Regenesys Business School.

 African National Congress 
By de early 2000s, Sedibe start work for Mpumalanga ein provincial government, first for de department of cooperative governance, den later for de treasury department. E still dey active inside de ANC: by 2012, e be de Branch Chairperson for de ANC ein White River branch. E support ANC ein Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe ein move to remove Jacob Zuma as ANC President for de party ein 53rd National Conference. People know am well for how e dey campaign for Motlanthe insyd Mpumalanga. Dem sana know am as person wey dey go against David Mabuza, wey be Premier of Mpumalanga from 2009 reach 2018, plus de ANC group wey dey support Mabuza.

Insyd 18 April 2013, Sedibe get violent problem for ANC regional meeting wey happen for Malalane. As e talk, dem beat am sake of say e raise point of order, sake of say Ngrayi Ngwenya, wey be pro-Mabuza chairperson for ANC ein Ehlanzeni region, start to talk while anoda person dey talk for de floor. Sedibe talk say Ngwenya and Bheki Mhlongo, wey be bodyguard for Thulisile Khoza, wey be Mayor of Nkomazi dat time, punch plus kick am. After dat, e carry criminal case go report Ngwenya and Mhlongo, and later court find both of dem guilty of assault.

But ANC talk say na Sedibe spoil de April 2013 meeting plus two more party meetings, so dem take am go internal disciplinary hearing. After dat, dem expel am from de party, den e come join de Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), wey be new opposition party wey just start dat time.

 Economic Freedom Fighters 

 Member of de Provincial Legislature: 2014–2019 
After e join EFF for 2013, Sedibe become de party ein head for organising plus campaign work inside Mpumalanga. Insyd January 2014, e resign from ein work for de provincial government. For de 2014 general election, EFF put am forward as de party ein candidate for Premier of Mpumalanga, den dem put ein name first for EFF ein party list for de provincial election. E win one of de two seats wey EFF get for de Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature.

Insyd January 2017, Sedibe help plan one political demonstration wey e talk for Facebook say e be “land occupation programme wey go happen between White River and Hillsview”. Later e explain say de EFF target land wey government get but no dey use, not people ein private land. On 29 January, de day wey de demonstration happen, police arrest am plus one EFF local councillor, Cyril Chuene. Dem carry dem go court say dem trespass, incite public violence, plus violate de Regulation of Gatherings Act. Dem later remove de case from court roll for late February 2017. But one week after, dem arrest Sedibe again just after he and anoda EFF lawmaker, Alfred Skhosana, get remove from de legislature for interrupting Premier Mabuza ein State of de Province address. Police spokesman talk say e get fraud case against am.

Sedibe later get install formally as EFF ein Mpumalanga chairperson, but News24 report say tension dey inside de province party body over de way Sedibe dey lead. Dem re-elect am again as EFF Provincial Chairperson for September 2018, plus Sam Zandamela as ein deputy.

 Leader of the Opposition: 2019–present 
Insyd de 2019 general election, EFF take over from Democratic Alliance as de ANC ein official opposition insyd de Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature. Sedibe ein name still dey number one for de party list, so e win ein legislative seat again. E name dey top EFF ein national party list too, for South African Parliament, but since dem put am for number 179 position, e no get national seat. When dem form de provincial legislature, EFF nominate Sedibe to be Speaker for Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature, but vote wey dem do give de position to Busisiwe Shiba. Then on 17 September 2022, during EFF ein elective conference for Mbombela, Sedibe win ein third term as EFF Provincial Chairperson inside Mpumalanga. Rhulani Qhibi become ein new deputy. E beat ein challenger Stan Hlatshwayo with over 400 votes, while Hlatshwayo get 287 votes.

 Personal life 
As of 2012, na Sedibe be a single poppie of two kiddies.

But on 29 March 2025, court issue arrest warrant for Sedibe after dem accuse am say e threaten one service provider ein life over contract wey concern multimillion-rand money from de department of education.

 References 
Category:Living people

 External links 
 Michael Collen Sedibe at People's Assembly

Category:1970s births
Category:Human
Category:South African people
Category:Members of de Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature
Category:Economic Freedom Fighters politicians
Category:African National Congress politicians
Category:21st-century South African politicians