Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

**Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma** (née **Dlamini**; born 27 January 1949), sometimes referred to by ein initials **NDZ**, be South African politician, medical doctor den former anti-apartheid activist. As she dey long time insyd African National Congress (ANC), she dey serve now as Chancellor of de University of Limpopo.

Dem born Dlamini-Zuma den educated insyd de former Natal province, where, as student, she start to join de Black Consciousness Movement through de South African Students' Organisation. Between 1976 den 1990, she live for exile outside South Africa, mainly insyd United Kingdom den Swaziland, where she dey practice medicine den join ANC activism. Since 1994, Dlamini-Zuma serve insyd cabinet of every post-apartheid South African president. She be Minister of Health under President Nelson Mandela, den Minister of Foreign Affairs for ten years under Presidents Thabo Mbeki den Kgalema Motlanthe. During de first term of President Jacob Zuma, she be Minister of Home Affairs, where people praise am say she turn around de department wey no dey function well. During President Cyril Ramaphosa ein second term, she be Minister of Women, Youth den Persons plus Disabilities for small time.

Under President Cyril Ramaphosa, she serve as Minister insyd de Presidency for Planning, Monitoring den Evaluation, where she dey responsible for de National Planning Commission, before she turn Minister of Cooperative Governance den Traditional Affairs, where she take front role plus controversy to manage how South Africa take do lockdown during de COVID-19 pandemic. She no dey insyd South African government between October 2012 den January 2017, as she serve as Chairperson of de African Union Commission, wey make her be de first woman to lead dat organisation or de one wey come before, Organisation of African Unity. Ein time for dat position too get controversy.

She be member of ANC ein National Executive Committee since de early 1990s, den has twice campaigned unsuccessfully for leadership positions insyd de party: for 2007, for ANC ein 52nd National Conference, Motlanthe win am as he beat her for de deputy presidency; den for de 54th National Conference for 2017, she almost win but lose de ANC presidency to Ramaphosa, wey be de one wey dey rule now.

## Early life den career
Dem born Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini on 27 January 1949 to Zulu family insyd Natal. Ein poppie, Willibrod Gweva, be teacher, wey ein brother Stephen Dlamini be activist insyd African National Congress (ANC); ein mommie Rose be homemaker. De eldest of eight children, Dlamini-Zuma finish high school insyd Amanzimtoti for Adams College, mission school wey many ANC stalwarts attend. She finish matric 1967. She want to become lawyer but she agree plus ein poppie ein eagerness make she become doctor, she earn BSc degree insyd zoology den botany from University of Zululand insyd 1971, den she go University of Natal make she study medicine. As she dey there, she turn active member of South African Students' Organisation, Black Consciousness grouping, den she dey elect as ein deputy president insyd 1976.

As ein political activity start make police dey notice am, she go exile later insyd 1976. So she finish ein medical studies insyd de United Kingdom, wey she graduate plus MBChB from University of Bristol insyd 1978. She be chairperson of ANC Youth Section insyd Britain from 1977 to 1978, den as she dey dat position, she dey travel to oda places insyd Europe. After she graduate, Dlamini-Zuma work insyd England for two years, at Bristol ein Frenchay Hospital den Berkshire ein Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital, as she dey serve on de British Regional Political Committee of ANC. After dat, she spend five years insyd Swaziland, wey she work as paediatric officer as de Mbabane Government Hospital. Na for there she meet ein future husband, Umkhonto we Sizwe activist Jacob Zuma, as she dey insyd ANC underground insyd Swaziland.

Insyd 1985, Dlamini-Zuma return to de United Kingdom make she complete diploma insyd tropical child health from Liverpool University's School of Tropical Medicine. Insyd subsequent years, she continue ein work insyd paediatrics; help found den direct de Health Refugee Trust, one British non-governmental organisation; den she return briefly to Africa insyd 1989, to work for de ANC Health Department insyd Lusaka, Zambia. She return to South Africa when de ANC be unban by de National Party government insyd 1990, wey signal de beginning of de country's transition to non-racial democracy. During de Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) negotiations insyd 1992, she be part of de Gender Advisory Committee. Insyd de transition period, she sana serve insyd de Executive Committee den Health Committee of de ANC's Southern Natal branch, den as research scientist insyd South Africa ein Medical Research Council insyd Durban.

## Career insyd government

### 1994–1999: Minister of Health
Insyd 1994, after South Africa ein first election under universal suffrage, Dlamini-Zuma get appointed as Minister of Health insyd de cabinet of President Nelson Mandela, where she continue de work of ein predecessor, Rina Venter, for racially desegregate de health system den broaden state anti-tobacco measures. Insyd 1999, Dlamini-Zuma introduce de Tobacco Products Amendment Bill, wey make am illegal make person smoke insyd public buildings. Ein term sana match plus de beginning of de HIV/AIDS epidemic insyd South Africa. Even though Dlamini-Zuma get history of HIV/AIDS activism, insyd de form of ein stint on de National Aids Coordinating Committee insyd 1992 den one period as Deputy Chairperson of de United Nations AIDS programme (UNAIDS) insyd 1995, she den ein Ministry get criticize for publicly support Virodene, one "quack remedy" for HIV/AIDS.

#### ''Sarafina II''
Insyd August 1995, Department of Health award a R14.27m contract to Mbongeni Ngema, a "good friend" of Dlamini-Zuma, to produce a sequel to Sarafina!, a popular South African musical. Sarafina II design as an HIV/AIDS public awareness initiative. However, investigations reveal dat Dlamini-Zuma mislead Parliament about source of project’s funding (which Department falsely say be sponsor by European Union) den ignore proper bidding procedures. Play shelve insyd 1996, after Public Protector publish a report criticise project ein poor financial controls den procedural irregularities.

### 1999–2009: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Dlamini-Zuma serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2009, under Presidents Thabo Mbeki den Kgalema Motlanthe. Opposition leader Tony Leon say dat ein appointment be "like send de bull insyd china shop". At beginning of ein term, insyd 1999, she involve insyd shuttle diplomacy insyd Second Congo War, mediate among factions of Rally for Congolese Democracy den between Uganda den Rwanda. According to Africa Confidential, she sanso particularly involve insyd pursue Mbeki ein goal of reform UN to increase relative power of Global South countries, den more generally she promote Mbeki ein pan-Africanist "African Renaissance" vision. She be President of 2001 World Conference Against Racism insyd Durban, den President of Ministers' Council at 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. Yet during ein tenure, she criticise for ein "quiet diplomacy" insyd response to land invasions den political crisis under Zimbabwe ein ZANU-PF regime. Sanso during dis period, insyd 2005, Mbeki reportedly offer ein de post of Deputy President after Jacob Zuma be fired; she decline.

### 2009–2012: Minister of Home Affairs
Insyd May 2009, Dlamini-Zuma appoint as Minister of Home Affairs insyd cabinet of ein ex-husband, newly elect President Zuma. She hold de role till October 2012, den people praise ein for turning around Department of Home Affairs. During ein tenure, de Department – before people see am as "a hotbed of corruption den incompetence" – receive ein first unqualified audit insyd 16 years, plus excellence award from Department of Public Service den Administration. Mail & Guardian attribute de improvement insyd service delivery to Dlamini-Zuma ein technocratic efficiency den implementation of internal control measures. However, Home Affairs Director-General Mavuso Msimang, who arrive at department before Dlamini-Zuma, say dat Dlamini-Zuma ein predecessor, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, be de one mainly responsible for de turnaround.

Insyd 2011, Dlamini-Zuma face public outcry when Dalai Lama be unable  attend Desmond Tutu ein eightieth birthday party because de Department, wey no want to offend China, no issue ein visa. De Department ein "deliberate delay" rule as unlawful de following year by Supreme Court of Appeal, insyd one judgement wey strongly criticise Dlamini-Zuma.

## Chair of de African Union Commission
Insyd January 2012, while still head de Ministry of Home Affairs, Dlamini-Zuma contest de position of Chairperson of de African Union (AU) Commission. Insyd do so, she break an "unwritten rule" say major African powers no put forward candidates for AU positions. Dis anger many AU states, lead to a deadlock insyd de first election, despite de backing for Dlamini-Zuma ein presidency provide by de fifteen states comprise de Southern African Development Community. As a consequence of de failure to secure a two-thirds majority of de vote, incumbent Jean Ping ein term extend by six months, until a second election on 15 July at de nineteenth session of de AU Assembly elect Dlamini-Zuma to de position. De vote largely divide along language lines – Francophone states against Anglophone states, plus de latter bloc support Dlamini-Zuma ein candidacy. Dlamini-Zuma be Chairperson until 30 January 2017, when she replace by Chadian Foreign Minister Moussa Faki.

Dlamini-Zuma be unpopular den dislike among AU officials for ein apparent aloofness den absenteeism. She criticise for filling ein advisory office plus security detail plus South African nationals, den for spending much of ein time insyd South Africa instead of at AU headquarters insyd Addis Ababa, reinforce "perceptions of South Africa as an insular nation". De Agenda 2063 plan spearhead by Dlamini-Zuma criticise as "quixotic" den unrealistic. Ein leadership as chairperson consider a disappoint failure, although she acknowledge for de managerial improvements she make. Dis include ein insist on professionalism wey enhance de AU ein reputation; it take more serious as result of ein interventions. She sanso be an advocate for increasing gender representation insyd AU wey further exacerbate ein popularity issues. Furthermore, "insyd room of stuffy old men talk about guns den tanks, she bring insyd concepts like gender, human rights den food security." She sanso credit plus de politically courageous drive to suspend Egypt from de AU after Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ein 2013 military coup, although she no condemn oda authoritarian power grabs elsewhere insyd Africa.

## Return to government
Insyd early 2017, Dlamini-Zuma return full-time to South Africa from Addis Ababa, den launch a campaign – ultimately unsuccessful – to win de presidency of de ANC. During ein campaign, on 21 September 2017, she swear back insyd as a Member of de National Assembly, fill a casual vacancy arise from Pule Mabe ein resignation. She deny rumours say she replace Blade Nzimande as Minister of Higher Education insyd imminent cabinet reshuffle, describe ein return to Parliament as a standard redeployment arrange by de ANC. Earlier dat year, dey be similar rumours say Zuma ein ANC faction dey lobby for ein to replace Pravin Gordhan as Minister of Finance.

### 2018–2019: Minister insyd de Presidency
Insyd February 2018, newly elect President Cyril Ramaphosa appoint Dlamini-Zuma Minister insyd de Presidency plus responsibility for Planning, Monitoring den Evaluation. Insyd dis capacity she be de Chairperson of de National Planning Commission den oversee de implementation of South Africa ein National Development Plan.

### 2019–2023: Minister of Cooperative Governance
Re-elect follow general elections insyd May 2019, Ramaphosa announce ein new cabinet, wey see Dlamini-Zuma move to de head of de Ministry of Cooperative Governance den Traditional Affairs (COGTA). Dlamini-Zuma expect to try repeat ein success at Home Affairs to turn around anoda famously dysfunctional portfolio. However, observers agree during ein first three years insyd office, she fail to effect such a turnaround, plus de financial mismanagement of municipalities remain a major challenge on de Cooperative Governance front. Insyd 2022, Dlamini-Zuma ein office prepare a plan to revert de North West province to proper provincial administration after more than three years – since 2018, de province dey under national administration, supervise by COGTA, insyd terms of an emergency provision insyd de Constitution for dysfunctional provinces.

#### COVID-19 pandemic
Between March 2020 den April 2022, South Africa dey officially under a national state of disaster, wey allow de executive to bypass Parliament insyd regulate de country ein response to de COVID-19 pandemic. Insyd terms of de Disaster Management Act, Dlamini-Zuma, as COGTA Minister, be responsible to promulgate those regulations; she therefore, unexpected, gain significant power over South African policy, lead many commentators to call ein a de facto head of state or prime minister. Insyd late April, Dlamini-Zuma announce say a controversial ban on de sale of tobacco to remain insyd place, contradict an announcement by President Ramaphosa earlier dat week. Dis apparent U-turn meet plus much public comment about Dlamini-Zuma ein apparent grow power insyd de cabinet, den necessitate a public statement from Ramaphosa to clarify both ein announcement plus ein reversal be "on behalf of, den mandate by, de collective I lead". COGTA ein bans on tobacco den alcohol, den oda so-called "hard lockdown" regulations, be fiercely unpopular plus parts of de population den be subjected to several challenges insyd de courts.

However, some levity introduce into de situation insyd May 2020, when South African DJ Max Hurrell release a house song which sample remarks dat Dlamini-Zuma make during a press briefing about de tobacco ban. De song, entitle "Zol", feature recordings of Dlamini-Zuma explain why share "zol" – South African slang for roll-up cigarettes usually contain cannabis – conduce to COVID-19 transmission: "When people zol, they put saliva on de paper, den they share dat zol". De song become a social media meme plus de most play song insyd South Africa on Apple Music, plus a video version produce by de Kiffness go viral online. Dlamini-Zuma Tweet "Who be dis Max Hurrell fellow? We just need to talk", plus reach out to de DJ to congratulate ein "on entertain de nation during dis difficult period".

### 2023–2024: Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
Insyd a cabinet reshuffle on 6 March 2023, Ramaphosa appoint Dlamini-Zuma as Minister insyd de Presidency responsible for Women, Youth den Persons plus Disabilities.

## African National Congress leadership

### 2007: Deputy presidential campaign
Dlamini-Zuma first join de National Executive Committee (NEC) of de ANC insyd de period between 1991 den 1994, when she co-opt onto de committee to fill a casual vacancy. She remain on de NEC thereafter: she be democratically elected for de first time at de ANC ein 49th National Conference insyd 1994, den be re-elected at subsequent conferences insyd 1997 den insyd 2002. Ahead of de next national conference insyd 2007, some observers view ein as a possible contender for de ANC ein presidency den candidacy insyd national presidential elections. Instead, she be nominated for two oda of de so-called Top Six positions insyd de party: four provinces (those align to Mbeki) nominate ein as deputy president, while de oda five (which back a Zuma presidency) nominate ein as national chairperson. She ultimately stand as deputy president on an Mbeki-align slate. Like de oda members of dat slate, she lose de vote, insyd ein case to Motlanthe. However, she be re-elected to de NEC, den at de 2012 conference she win de most votes of any NEC candidate.

### 2017: First presidential campaign
Ahead of de 54th National Conference of de ANC insyd December 2017, plus have recently returned from ein AU position insyd Addis Ababa, Dlamini-Zuma run for de ANC presidency. As early as 2016, on some accounts, ein supporters "lobby openly" for Dlamini-Zuma to replace Zuma as ANC president at de conclusion of de latter ein term insyd late 2017. She be endorsed by de ANC Women's League insyd January 2017, plus later by de ANC Youth League plus de Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans' Association. Dlamini-Zuma be viewed as media-shy, plus only conduct one interview, plus ANN7, during ein campaign.

Ein campaign, under de slogan #WeAreReady, centre on land redistribution, reform at de South African Reserve Bank, plus economic transformation generally, a policy package which align ein closely plus de so-call Radical Economic Transformation (RET) faction, a pro-Zuma grouping. Indeed, some analysts suspect that Dlamini-Zuma ein campaign be a "Trojan horse" for Zuma ein interests, aim to secure ein continue influence over de party. At de conference, Dlamini-Zuma narrow lose insyd a vote against Cyril Ramaphosa, win 2,261 votes against ein 2,440. She be re-elected to de NEC.

### 2022: Second presidential campaign
By September 2022, amid preparations for de 55th National Conference, Dlamini-Zuma be understood to plan to run again for de ANC presidency. She be nominated for de position by ein own ANC branch insyd eThekwini, Kwa-Zulu Natal, plus again be endorsed by former President Zuma.

## Controversies

### "Rubbish" tweet
On 7 April 2017, amid national public demonstrations against Zuma ein presidency, Dlamini-Zuma cause controversy by apparently disparage de protests as "rubbish". Ein verified Twitter account post "[Demma privilege] be what dem protect... hence some of us no be part of dis rubbish. They must join us for de march for our land they steal..." plus delete de tweet shortly thereafter. Dlamini-Zuma later say de tweet be "fake".

### Alleged connections to cigarette smugglers
Insyd 2017, journalist Jacques Pauw claim insyd *De President's Keepers* say Dlamini-Zuma ein campaign for de ANC presidency be sponsored partly by businessman Adriano Mazzotti, whose company, Carnilinx, be widely suspect of involvement insyd cigarette smuggling plus oda illicit activities. Mazzotti allegedly finance de campaign ein merchandise. Insyd subsequent weeks, de *Sunday Times* throw into question Mazzotti ein rebuttal – say he only meet Dlamini-Zuma once, briefly – by publishing Instagram photographs of de pair together on two separate occasions. Both Mazzotti plus, through ein spokesman, Dlamini-Zuma deny say dem get any "direct or substantive relationship". Johann van Loggerenberg claim insyd ein 2019 book, *Tobacco Wars*, say Mazzotti admit to assist de campaign insyd acquire merchandise – but through personal connections rather than by paying for de merchandise directly.

De allegations revive insyd 2020, as commentators question whether Dlamini-Zuma pursue de government ein tobacco ban because of ein alleged connections to tobacco smugglers, who go benefit from de ban. Such speculation draw not only on de Mazzotti allegations, but sanso on de ties of Edward Zuma, Dlamini-Zuma ein former stepson, to Amalgamated Tobacco Manufacturers, a cheap cigarette manufacturer sanso suspect of illicit activity. Dlamini-Zuma maintain dat de ban be based on health concerns only.

## Ein life matter
Dlamini-Zuma marry former President Jacob Zuma between 1982 plus 1998. Dem get four daughters together: Msholozi (born 1982); Gugulethu Zuma-Ncube (born 1984), who marry de son of Zimbabwean politician Welshman Ncube; Nokuthula Nomaqhawe (born 1987); plus Thuthukile (born 1989), who be controversially appointed Chief of Staff insyd de Department of Telecommunications plus Postal Services insyd 2014. Dlamini-Zuma divorce Zuma insyd June 1998 over irreconcilable differences.

Dlamini-Zuma ein younger sisto, Hlobisile, be sanso an ANC member plus serve as Member of de Kwa-Zulu Natal Legislature.

## Honours
Dlamini-Zuma receive de Order of Luthuli for gold insyd 2013. Dat same year, she be listed as one of New African magazine demma top 100 most influential Africans, plus insyd 2015 she be featured as one of de BBC demma 100 Women. Insyd 2019, she be appointed as de Chancellor of de University of Limpopo, a non-residential plus largely ceremonial position. Insyd 2016, she be honoured plus name de Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Local Municipality after de merger of de Ingwe plus Kwa Sani local municipalities, insyd KwaZulu-Natal.

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