Government offices 2009–2023

Minister of Transport
In office 30 May 2019 – 6 March 2023
President	Cyril Ramaphosa
Deputy	Sindisiwe Chikunga
Preceded by	Blade Nzimande
Succeeded by	Sindisiwe Chikunga
Minister of Police
In office 31 March 2017 – 26 February 2018
President	Jacob Zuma
Preceded by	Nathi Nhleko
Succeeded by	Bheki Cele
Minister of Sport and Recreation
In office 1 November 2010 – 31 March 2017
President	Jacob Zuma
Preceded by	Makhenkesi Stofile
Succeeded by	Thulas Nxesi
Deputy Minister of Police
In office May 2009 – October 2010
President	Jacob Zuma
Minister	Nathi Mthethwa
Succeeded by	Maggie Sotyu
Member of the National Assembly
In office 22 May 2019 – 6 March 2023
In office 6 May 2009 – 26 February 2018

Personal details

Born

Fikile April Mbalula

8 April 1971 (age 54)
Botshabelo, Orange Free State
South Africa

Political party

African National Congress

Spouse

Nozuko Mbalula

Children

Nicknames

Mbaks
Vutha

Fikile April Mbalula, born on April 8, 1971, is a well-known South African politician. He is currently the Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC), which is a major political party in South Africa. Think of him as a top leader who helps run the party's daily activities. He took on this role in December 2022.

Before this, he was a government minister from 2010 to 2023, serving in different important roles. His most recent government job was as the Minister of Transport from 2019 to 2023.

Mbalula first became famous in politics as the President of the African National Congress Youth League from 2004 to 2008. This is like being the head of the youth division of the ANC party. During this time, he strongly supported Jacob Zuma, who later became the President of South Africa. Mbalula also helped lead the ANC's election campaigns, including the one in 2009.

After joining the National Assembly (South Africa's Parliament) in 2009, he became the Deputy Minister of Police. Later, he served as the Minister of Sport and Recreation from 2010 to 2017 and then as the Minister of Police from 2017 to 2018. Even though he had some disagreements with President Zuma later on, he remained a public figure.

In 2019, he returned to the government as the Minister of Transport under President Cyril Ramaphosa. He left this role in March 2023 to focus on his full-time job as the ANC Secretary-General, a position he won in December 2022.

Early Life and Political Start

Mbalula was born on April 8, 1971, near Botshabelo, a township close to Bloemfontein in South Africa. He grew up in this township and started his political journey as a teenager.

He joined the South African Youth Congress in Botshabelo in the mid-1980s. He also became part of the United Democratic Front in 1989. These groups were important in the fight against apartheid, which was a system of racial segregation in South Africa.

When the African National Congress (ANC) was allowed to operate freely again in 1990, Mbalula became very active in its youth groups. He quickly moved up the ranks in the ANC Youth League, becoming a regional leader in 1991 and a provincial leader in 1994. At the same time, he also trained to be a counsellor.

Rising Through the ANC Youth League

National Leadership: 1996–2004

In 1996, Mbalula took on a national role in the ANC Youth League. He became the secretary for political education. In 1998, he was elected as the national Secretary-General of the league, working with Malusi Gigaba, who was the President. They were both re-elected in 2001. They were close friends and even talked about their future political goals, seeing Mbalula as a future ANC Secretary-General and Gigaba as a future ANC President.

Leading the Youth League: 2004–2008

Following their plans, Mbalula became the President of the ANC Youth League in August 2004. He was the only candidate for the position. People saw him as a good choice because he could connect with both older and younger members of the league. During his time as Youth League President, he also led the International Union of Socialist Youth in 2004.

Mbalula's time as president made him well-known across the country. He was known for his strong public statements. Some people said he changed the way the league worked.

Supporting Jacob Zuma

Mbalula was once seen as a supporter of President Thabo Mbeki. However, by 2005, he had switched his support to Mbeki's rival, Deputy President Jacob Zuma. He became a strong supporter of Zuma's campaign to become the ANC president.

At the ANC's important conference in Polokwane in December 2007, Mbalula spoke at a rally for Zuma's supporters. This was a big moment for him. In the party elections, Zuma won, and Mbalula was also elected to the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) for the first time. This committee is a very important group that makes decisions for the party. He was also chosen to lead the NEC's new group on building the party and running campaigns.

New Youth League President

By 2008, Mbalula was too old to be a member of the ANC Youth League. His successor, Julius Malema, was elected in April 2008. Mbalula supported Malema's rise to leadership.

Working at ANC Headquarters: 2008–2009

After leaving the Youth League, Mbalula worked full-time at the ANC's main office, Luthuli House, in Johannesburg. He was in charge of the ANC's campaign for the 2009 South African general election. This campaign was very successful, especially in attracting young voters. People often praised his skills in organizing and campaigning. He was seen as a "fixer" and a "strategist" who helped modernize the party's campaigns.

During this time, Mbalula continued to be in the public eye. He was a strong critic of former President Mbeki.

Government Career

Deputy Minister of Police: 2009–2010

In the April 2009 election, Mbalula was elected to the National Assembly. President Zuma appointed him as Deputy Minister of Police. He was one of the youngest deputy ministers in the government and quickly became well-known.

He focused on making police more visible and announced several new plans. He encouraged police to be tough on crime. There were some reports of disagreements between him and his minister, Nathi Mthethwa, but Mbalula made it clear he was an important part of the team.

Minister of Sport and Recreation: 2010–2017

In October 2010, Mbalula became the Minister of Sport and Recreation. He said his main goal would be to change sports in South Africa. This included promoting sports in schools and communities and fighting against corruption in sports organizations. He also continued to lead the ANC's election efforts for the 2011 local elections.

Mbalula worked to develop sports, especially by making physical education and sports compulsory in schools. This was seen as a successful effort. He also believed that sports could help bring people together in South Africa. He pushed for South Africa to host the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. Under his leadership, Durban was chosen to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, though it later withdrew.

He was also known for being a strong critic of the national soccer team, Bafana Bafana, when they did not perform well. He often threatened sports bodies with penalties if they did not include more diversity among players. He also started an investigation into Cricket South Africa in 2011. These actions were generally well-received.

Party Leadership Challenges

While he was Minister of Sport, Mbalula's relationship with President Zuma became difficult. Mbalula wanted to be elected as the ANC Secretary-General at the party's conference in December 2012. This put him in competition with the current Secretary-General, Gwede Mantashe, who was a close ally of Zuma.

Mbalula ran on a team that supported ANC Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, who was challenging Zuma for the ANC presidency. At the conference in Mangaung in December 2012, Mbalula did not win the Secretary-General position. He also was not re-elected as an ordinary member of the NEC. However, he kept his government job and later returned to the NEC in 2015.

Public Protector Inquiry

In December 2018, the Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, found that Mbalula had not followed the rules regarding the funding for a family holiday he took in Dubai in 2016. Mbalula said that these findings were not true.

Minister of Police: 2017–2018

On March 31, 2017, President Zuma appointed Mbalula as the Minister of Police. He promised to be tough on crime and encouraged police officers to act strongly against criminals. He worked to improve the morale and reputation of the police force. During his time in this role, he also worked to remove General Berning Ntlemeza from his position at the head of the Hawks and fired Khomotso Phahlane as the acting National Police Commissioner.

Nasrec Conference

At the ANC's conference in Nasrec in December 2017, Mbalula was re-elected to the ANC NEC. He supported Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for the ANC presidency, but she lost to Cyril Ramaphosa.

Time at Luthuli House: 2018–2019

After the Nasrec conference, Zuma was replaced by Ramaphosa as President of South Africa. When Ramaphosa announced his new government in February 2018, Mbalula was not included. He then resigned from Parliament to return to Luthuli House and work full-time as the ANC's head of elections.

In this role, Mbalula focused on improving the ANC's image for the 2019 South African general election. He said the party needed to address issues that had damaged its reputation.

Minister of Transport: 2019–2023

In the May 2019 general election, Mbalula was again elected to the National Assembly. President Ramaphosa then appointed him as the Minister of Transport. He also continued to lead the ANC's election campaigns, including the 2021 local elections.

As Minister of Transport, Mbalula's main goal was to fix South Africa's road and rail infrastructure. He aimed to move more freight from roads to trains. In 2022, a court ordered him to ensure the safety of long-distance bus drivers and passengers after attacks on buses.

Becoming Secretary-General

Leading up to the ANC's conference in 2022, Mbalula supported Ramaphosa's successful re-election as ANC President. Mbalula was also seen as a strong candidate for ANC Secretary-General. On December 19, 2022, he was announced as the winner of the Secretary-General position. He took over from Ace Magashule, who had been suspended.

The Secretary-General works full-time at Luthuli House, so Mbalula said he would resign from his government position. On March 6, 2023, Sindisiwe Chikunga was appointed to replace him as Minister of Transport, and Mbalula resigned from Parliament.

ANC Secretary-General

Early in his time as ANC Secretary-General, Mbalula was accused of getting involved in the elections for the ANC Youth League. Some members said he tried to help Collen Malatji become the Youth League President. Mbalula denied these claims. He is expected to play a very important role in the ANC's campaign for the 2024 South African general election.

Personal Life

People have often talked about Mbalula's lively public image. He is very well-known for using social media, and in 2022, he was the most-followed South African minister on Twitter. He has used nicknames like "Razzmatazz" and "Mr Fix" for himself.

He is married to Nozuko Mbalula, and they have three children.

Traditional Initiation

In September 2008, it was reported that Mbalula went through a traditional initiation into manhood in the Xhosa tradition. This is an important ritual for many young men in South Africa. His friends said he had wanted to do it earlier but was too busy. After a month at the initiation school, Mbalula returned home for a celebration.

Fikile Mbalula facts for kids

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