Mxolisi Dukwana
South African politician / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mxolisi Abraham Dukwana (born 14 September 1964) is a South African politician who has been the seventh Premier of the Free State since February 2023. He has also served as Provincial Chairperson of the Free State branch of his political party, the African National Congress (ANC), since January 2023. Prior to his election as Premier, he served in the Free State Executive Council as Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs since October 2021.
Mxolisi Dukwana | |
---|---|
7th Premier of the Free State | |
Assumed office 24 February 2023 | |
Preceded by | Sisi Ntombela |
Provincial Chairperson of the African National Congress | |
Assumed office 22 January 2023 | |
Deputy | Ketso Makume |
Preceded by | Sam Mashinini |
Member of the Free State Executive Council for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | |
In office 1 October 2021 – 24 February 2023 | |
Premier | Sisi Ntombela |
Preceded by | Thembeni Nxangisa |
Succeeded by | Ketso Makume |
Member of the Free State Provincial Legislature | |
Assumed office 28 September 2021 | |
Member of the Free State Executive Council for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | |
In office 22 October 2008 – 22 February 2012 | |
Premier | |
Preceded by | Neo Masithela |
Succeeded by | Mamiki Qabathe |
Personal details | |
Born | Mxolisi Abraham Dukwana (1964-09-14) 14 September 1964 (age 59) Odendaalsrus, Orange Free State South Africa |
Political party | African National Congress |
A teacher by training, Dukwana entered provincial government as MEC for Education from 1996 to 1998. Between 1998 and 2008, he held several positions in the Free State Provincial Legislature, where he was Majority Chief Whip, Deputy Speaker, and Speaker. Over the same period he rose through the provincial ANC, ultimately serving as Provincial Treasurer of the ANC in the Free State from 2005 to 2012. In 2008, he was returned to the Executive Council by Premier Beatrice Marshoff, under whom he served as MEC for Public Safety and Security in 2008 and MEC for Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs from 2008 to 2009. He was retained in the latter portfolio by Marshoff's successor, Ace Magashule.
In February 2012, however, Magashule fired Dukwana; later the same year, Dukwana attempted unsuccessfully to unseat Magashule as ANC Provincial Chairperson. He subsequently retreated from frontline politics until May 2021, when he was appointed the interim convenor of the ANC's Free State branch. In September of that year, he was sworn back into the Free State Provincial Legislature, and, in early October, Premier Sisi Ntombela appointed him as MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. In January 2023, Dukwana narrowly beat Ntombela to be elected ANC Provincial Chairperson, and he replaced her as Premier the following month.