Zweli Mkhize

**Zwelini Lawrence Mkhize** (born 2 February 1956) be South African medical doctor den politician wey serve as de Minister of Health from May 2019 until ein resignation on 5 August 2021. He previously serve as de Minister of Cooperative Governance den Traditional Affairs from 2018 to 2019. Before dat, he be de fifth Premier of KwaZulu-Natal from 2009 to 2013. He sanso be de Chancellor of de University of KwaZulu-Natal from 2009 to 2017.

A former anti-apartheid activist insyd Umkhonto we Sizwe, Mkhize be formerly provincial politician insyd ein home province of KwaZulu-Natal, plus particular influence insyd de KwaZulu-Natal midlands. He be Member of de Executive Council insyd de provincial government between 1994 den 2004 den be elected provincial chairperson of de African National Congress (ANC) insyd 2008. He rise to national prominence insyd 2012 when he be elected national Treasurer-General of de ANC at de party ein 53rd National Conference. He sanso campaign unsuccessfully for de ANC presidency ahead of de 55th National Conference insyd 2022.

As Minister of Health under President Cyril Ramaphosa, Mkhize play central role insyd South Africa ein response to de COVID-19 pandemic. However, he resign insyd 2021 amid allegations dat he den ein family benefit improper from state contract award by de Department of Health to communications company call Digital Vibes.

## Early life den career
Dem born Zweli Lawrence Mkhize on 2 February 1956 insyd Willowfontein on de outskirts of Pietermaritzburg insyd what be now KwaZulu-Natal province. He be de fifth of seven kiddies. He belong to de Zulu Mkhize clan, formerly of de Nkandla region, but, by de time of de advent of apartheid insyd 1948, ein family be bound to farm labour by labour tenancy agreement. Ein poppie later work for de parks department of de Pietermaritzburg Corporation while ein elder brothers work as farm hands, but Mkhize continue ein formal education. He attend secondary school at Dlangezwa High School, boarding school insyd Zululand, where he be strong student. He later say dat de anti-apartheid protests of local "eccentric", David Cecil Oxford Matiwane, spark ein interest insyd politics.    

Insyd 1976, de year of de Soweto uprising, Mkhize begin medical school at de University of Natal, where he be member of de students' representative council. He graduate plus MBChB insyd 1982, complete ein internship at McCord Hospital insyd Durban insyd 1983, den begin work at Edendale Hospital insyd Pietermaritzburg insyd 1984.     

## Anti-apartheid activism
By de mid-1980s, Mkhize be member of Umkhonto weSizwe (MK), de underground armed wing of de anti-apartheid African National Congress (ANC), den be connected to oda ANC figures insyd de KwaZulu-Natal midlands, including Harry Gwala. He go exile insyd Swaziland insyd 1986. According to de Daily Maverick, ein departure from South Africa be related to police attention to Operation Butterfly, de codename for MK plan to bomb important infrastructure insyd KwaZulu-Natal; eleven oda people involve insyd de plan be arrest insyd late 1985, during government state of emergency. Insyd exile insyd Swaziland den then insyd Zimbabwe, Mkhize continue to practice medicine; he often treat wounded MK combatants. He sanso continue ein work plus MK den by 1987 he be commander insyd charge of underground cells wey operate insyd KwaZulu-Natal.  

He return to South Africa insyd 1991 after de ANC be unbanned by de South African government. He initially work at Themba Hospital insyd what be then de Eastern Transvaal, but open private medical practice insyd Pietermaritzburg insyd late 1991. He, along plus ein MK colleague Jacob Zuma, become ANC peace broker insyd de ongoing political violence insyd KwaZulu-Natal: ANC-aligned groups den Inkatha-aligned groups fight each oda insyd de region throughout de negotiations to end apartheid. From 1991 to 1994, he sanso be member of de ANC National Heath Secretariat, wey be task plus formulate health policy for post-apartheid South Africa.    

## Post-apartheid political career

### Provincial government

#### Executive Council
After South Africa ein first democratic elections insyd 1994, Mkhize be appoint Member of de Executive Council (MEC) for Health insyd de provincial government of KwaZulu-Natal, one of two provinces where de ANC no win majority insyd 1994. He hold de post for decade, become de longest-serving health MEC insyd de country.  Ein tenure coincide plus de peak of de HIV/AIDS epidemic insyd South Africa, wey be particularly severe insyd KwaZulu-Natal. Under President Thabo Mbeki, de government response to de epidemic be criticise as unscientific den influence by HIV/AIDS denialism; insyd de summation of Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism, Mkhize be at times "both hero den villain" insyd dis context. Mkhize deviate from national government policy insyd allow de Centre for de Aids Programme of Research to conduct antiretroviral treatment trials insyd public clinics insyd KwaZulu-Natal.***' However, insyd 2001, when de Treatment Action Campaign sue de government for ein failure to provide services to prevent mommie-to-child transmission of HIV, Mkhize back Mbeki insyd oppose de lawsuit.***' Dis be attribute to Mkhize ein apparent unwillingness to "break ranks" plus Mbeki publicly. Later, insyd 2016, Mkhize write lengthy open letter to Mbeki about ein HIV/AIDS policy, describe einself as dey "catch insyd de middle" of de 2001 legal battle. He say dat, at de time, he disagree plus Mbeki ein opposition to antiretrovirals den lobby for de government to fast-track nevirapine trials. 

Insyd November 2004, Mkhize be appointed MEC for Finance den Economic Development, insyd KwaZulu-Natal. Under ein leadership, de provincial department implement austerity measures, wey be consider successful. He be sanso appoint Leader of Government Business insyd KwaZulu-Natal insyd 2004 den hold both positions simultaneously until 2009. In addition, from 2006, he chair de political oversight committee for de 2010 Soccer World Cup.   

#### Rise insyd de ANC
While be MEC, Mkhize reportedly form close political alliance plus Jacob Zuma, who become national Deputy President. He be elected to de ANC National Executive Committee, de party ein top executive organ, at de ANC ein 50th National Conference insyd December 1997, den he be re-elected to de ANC National Executive Committee insyd 2002 den insyd 2007. He be considered "one of de main architects" of Zuma ein rise to de ANC presidency over dat period, after he help engineer influx of pro-ANC members to de ANC insyd KwaZulu-Natal. He sanso serve as chairperson of de ANC National Executive Committee ein subcommittee on education den health den be member of de ANC task team on national health insurance.

However, ein most prominent role insyd de ANC be at de provincial level insyd KwaZulu-Natal. After he serve as de ANC provincial Treasurer-General, he be elected ANC deputy provincial Chairperson by 1999. Before den during ein term as finance MEC, he be at de centre of political battle plus S'bu Ndebele, then de Premier of KwaZulu-Natal den de provincial Chairperson of de ANC. At de ANC ein provincial elective conference insyd June 2008, Mkhize prevail den be elected ANC provincial Chairperson.

#### Premiership
Insyd ein capacity as provincial Chairperson, Mkhize become de ANC ein candidate to replace Ndebele as KwaZulu-Natal Premier insyd de 2009 general election. De ANC win control of de KwaZulu-Natal legislature insyd de 2009 election den Mkhize be indirect elect Premier, beat John Steenhuisen of de opposition Democratic Alliance by 68 votes to seven. Insyd de same month, May 2009, he be appointed Chancellor of ein alma mater, wey be relaunch as de University of KwaZulu-Natal; he ultimately serve insyd dat post until 2017.

Insyd May 2010, five men be arrested insyd Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, based on criminal intelligence tip-off, while they allegedly dey go to Mkhize ein home insyd Pietermaritzburg; illegal firearms den ammunition be found insyd demma vehicle. They appear insyd court insyd Durban on weapons charges den de charge of conspiracy to commit murder; de alleged target of de conspiracy be later identify as Mkhize. In addition, one of de men, Sizwe Mkhize (no relation), get document insyd ein possession wey appear to implicate provincial leaders of de Tripartite Alliance – de ANC den ein partners de South African Communist Party den de Congress of South African Trade Unions – insyd plot to overthrow Mkhize. De Hawks investigate de case, den de KwaZulu-Natal structures of de Tripartite Alliance conduct demma own investigation through joint task team, on which de ANC be represent by Willies Mchunu; de findings of de task team be keep confidential. De court case against de men be strike off de court roll insyd November when de state fail to send prosecutor to trial. Mkhize sanso encounter Sizwe Mkhize insyd 2007, when he claim say he den anoda hitman be hire by Mkhize ein provincial rivals to assassinate am.

Insyd May 2012, de KwaZulu-Natal ANC unanimously re-elect ein as ANC provincial Chairperson. Ein re-election follow minor political scandal concerning leaked intelligence report compile by Richard Mdluli; de report say dat Mkhize, plus other ANC leaders, dey plot to depose Zuma as ANC President. Although Mkhize talk say no be any such plot, de Mail & Guardian say dat de report damage Mkhize ein relationship plus Zuma, as well as ein popularity insyd KwaZulu-Natal.

### ANC Treasurer-General
Mkhize be elected national Treasurer-General of ANC at de party ein 53rd National Conference insyd December 2012. Insyd de election, he beat Paul Mashatile plus 2,988 votes to Mashatile ein 961. Mkhize run on informal slate align to incumbent national President Zuma, who be re-elected ANC President at de conference. He sanso be rumour to involve insyd recruit businessman Cyril Ramaphosa to run for de deputy presidency on dat slate. Sources tell de Mail & Guardian say other leaders insyd KwaZulu-Natal push for Mkhize to advance to national position not because they support ein but because they seek to make ein leave provincial politics; Mkhize den ein colleagues deny de claim.

Although Mkhize ein constitutional term as KwaZulu-Natal Premier no go end until de 2014 general election, he resign from de office insyd August 2013 to attend full-time to ein duties as ANC Treasurer-General, job based out of de ANC ein headquarters at Luthuli House insyd Johannesburg. Mkhize ein tenure coincide plus several scandals wey appear to implicate Zuma ein administration insyd state capture. Notably, despite ein longstanding alliance plus Zuma, insyd December 2015 he be critical of Zuma ein decision to dismiss Nhlanhla Nene as Minister of Finance den reportedly be part of group of ANC leaders wey meet plus Zuma to persuade ein to reconsider. Insyd April 2017, he join oda ANC leaders insyd publicly criticise Zuma ein subsequent decision to reshuffle ein cabinet again den dismiss Pravin Gordhan as Minister of Finance. Between those two interventions, insyd November 2016, de Sunday Times report say de Hawks dey investigate Mkhize, Gwede Mantashe, den Mcebisi Jonas insyd connection plus Jonas ein claim say de Gupta family offer ein bribe den cabinet post; de investigation reportedly concern de failure of Mkhize, Mantashe, den Jonas to report de bribe earlier. However, de Hawks say no be any such investigation.

### 2017 presidential bid
Ahead of de end of ein term as Treasurer-General insyd 2017, Mkhize campaign to succeed Zuma as ANC President, plus social media campaign under de slogan #AbantuBathi (Zulu for, literally, "people say"). He first announce say he go be willing to accept nominations to de position insyd early September 2017. Mkhize be reputedly active participant insyd "provincial patronage politics", den he admit to ein own role insyd mobilise support for de Zuma-aligned faction insyd 2007, but, during de campaign, he argue publicly dat maintaining de unity of de ANC require eschew factionalism den slate-based campaigning.

Although de frontrunners insyd de presidential race be clearly Ramaphosa den Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Mkhize be viewed as possible "compromise choice", an alternative wey people view as acceptable by de respective supporters of each frontrunner. De Business Day report say Mkhize ein candidacy will be endorsed by David Mabuza, influential ANC powerbroker insyd Mpumalanga wey push for "unity ticket" to replace Zuma. E sanso report say Ramaphosa consider Mkhize as possible running mate but decide to select woman (Lindiwe Sisulu) instead. Mkhize ein presidential campaign earn some support at de level of local den regional branches, especially insyd de Eastern Cape den ein home province KwaZulu-Natal, but he ultimately fail to earn de nomination of any of de organisation ein nine provinces, den he abandon ein presidential bid. Instead, he take up de nominations he receive – from 193 local branches den one province – to stand for de ANC deputy presidency.

However, when de ANC's 54th National Conference begin insyd December 2017, Mkhize unexpectedly announce dat he decide "after much consideration" to withdraw from de deputy presidential race den therefore will not be insyd de running for election to any of de ANC's so-called "Top Six" leadership positions. Sources told the *Mail & Guardian*  den de *Sunday Times* dat Mkhize had withdrawn following discussions plus Mabuza, on de basis dat Mkhize will not oppose Mabuza ein candidacy for Deputy President if Mkhize received backing – from Mabuza ein den Dlamini-Zuma ein supporters – for a senior cabinet position, possibly de Ministry of Finance, den for de top-ranked position on de incoming National Executive Committee. Mabuza ultimately be elected ANC Deputy President den Mkhize indeed be re-elected to de National Executive Committee plus de most votes of any candidate, 2,550 across a total of 4,283 ballots. Mkhize deny dat he had engaged insyd deal-making or horse-trading, saying dat he had withdrawn in order to build unity insyd den strengthen de ANC. He be replaced as ANC Treasurer-General by Paul Mashatile, who had run against him unsuccessfully insyd 2012.

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