Malusi Gigaba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Malusi Gigaba
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gigaba in 2016
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the National Assembly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 14 June 2024 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 23 April 2004 – 15 November 2018 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 2 June 1999 – 19 November 2001 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th President of the African National Congress Youth League | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office March 1996 – August 2004 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Andrew Dipela Joe Maswanganyi Rubben Mohlaloga |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Lulu Johnson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Fikile Mbalula | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
Knowledge Malusi Nkanyezi Gigaba
30 August 1971 Eshowe, Natal Province South Africa |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | African National Congress | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses |
Thabong Nxumalo
(div. 2014)Norma Mngoma
(m. 2014; div. 2021) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Durban-Westville | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Knowledge Malusi Nkanyezi Gigaba (born 30 August 1971) is a South African politician. He is a member of the National Assembly, representing the African National Congress (ANC). He served as a government minister from 2010 to 2018. During this time, he was the Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Public Enterprises, and Minister of Finance.
Mr. Gigaba first joined the South African government in April 2004. He was the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs under President Thabo Mbeki. President Jacob Zuma later promoted him to a full minister in October 2010. He was Minister of Public Enterprises from November 2010 to May 2014. Then, he became Minister of Home Affairs from May 2014 to March 2017. President Zuma then moved him to the role of Minister of Finance.
In February 2018, President Cyril Ramaphosa moved him back to the Home Affairs role. Mr. Gigaba left the government and the National Assembly in November 2018. This happened after a court and the Public Protector found that he had given incorrect information in a legal case. This case involved a company called Fireblade Aviation.
A special commission, the Zondo Commission, looked into claims of improper dealings. In 2022, it suggested that Mr. Gigaba should be investigated for possibly receiving gifts from the Gupta family. Critics say he was closely linked to a period called "state capture." This is where some people allegedly used their government positions for personal gain. They claim he used his role as public enterprises minister to influence state-owned companies. A parliamentary inquiry also found that he had improperly given South African citizenship to members of the Gupta family.
Mr. Gigaba was born in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal. He became well-known as the president of the ANC Youth League for three terms, from 1996 to 2004. He has been a member of the ANC's National Executive Committee since December 2002. He also led the ANC's national election campaign in 2014. He returned to the National Assembly in the May 2024 general election.
Contents
- Early Life and Education
- ANC Youth League Leadership
- National Government Roles
- Later Career
- Personal Life
- Images for kids
Early Life and Education
Malusi Gigaba was born on 30 August 1971. He is the second child of Reverend Jabulani Gigaba and Nomthandazo Gigaba. He grew up with three sisters and a brother.
He attended Mathonsi Primary School in Mandeni. Later, he went to Vryheid State High School. He finished his high school education at Ethalana High School. Malusi Gigaba then studied at the University of Durban-Westville. He earned a bachelor's degree in education in 1991. He also completed a master's degree in Social Policy.
ANC Youth League Leadership
Mr. Gigaba became well-known in the ANC Youth League. He was the chairperson of its Southern Natal branch. In 1994, he became its provincial secretary. This meant he was also a member of the main ANC's provincial committee.
In March 1996, Mr. Gigaba was elected as the national president of the ANC Youth League. He was the first president to serve three terms in a row. He was re-elected in 1998 and 2001. In 1998, he won against Lassy Chiwayo. In 2001, he won against David Makhura and Mahlengi Bhengu.
In 2002, Mr. Gigaba called for young people to stop reading the Mail & Guardian newspaper. This was because of its critical reports on Peter Mokaba.
Serving in Parliament: 1999–2001
From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Gigaba served as an ANC representative in the National Assembly. This is the lower house of the South African Parliament. He was elected in the June 1999 general election. He resigned in November 2001 to focus full-time on his role as Youth League president.
Stepping Down as Youth League President: 2004
Mr. Gigaba was elected to the ANC National Executive Committee in December 2002. He was ranked 39th out of 60 members elected. Before this, he strongly supported President Thabo Mbeki's re-election.
In August 2004, Mr. Gigaba did not seek re-election as Youth League president. His secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, took over the role. Mr. Gigaba was often criticized for supporting the main ANC leadership. However, he left the Youth League with a good reputation. Many saw him as a promising young leader. Some even thought he could become a future president of South Africa.
National Government Roles
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs: 2004–2010
In the April 2004 general election, Mr. Gigaba returned to Parliament. President Mbeki appointed him as Deputy Minister of Home Affairs. He served under Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. This appointment was seen as a way for President Mbeki to connect with young people. He stayed in this role for six years. He served under Presidents Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe, and Jacob Zuma.
Public Protector Inquiry
In 2007, there were reports that Mr. Gigaba had used government money to buy flowers for his wife. He said it was an error and promised to pay the money back.
The Public Protector started an investigation in September 2007. They looked into the flower purchase and other claims. These included whether he used his office to set up a private institute. The investigation finished in February 2009. The Public Protector found no evidence of wrongdoing. However, it was noted that Mr. Gigaba did not fully cooperate.
ANC Conference in Polokwane
At the ANC's conference in December 2007, Mr. Gigaba was re-elected to the National Executive Committee. He was ranked 13th out of 80 members. President Zuma replaced Mbeki as ANC president at this conference. Observers noted that Mr. Gigaba smoothly shifted his support to Zuma.
Minister of Public Enterprises: 2010–2014
On 31 October 2010, President Zuma made changes to his cabinet. He promoted Mr. Gigaba to Minister of Public Enterprises. He replaced Barbara Hogan. Mr. Gigaba's deputies were Ben Martins and later Gratitude Magwanishe.
He was known for taking a very active role in how state-owned companies were run. This was linked to the ANC's plan for economic growth led by the state. In 2011, he spoke against the ANC Youth League's idea to nationalize mines. He said it "harms the good image and investments of the country." The Youth League criticized him for this.
Concerns about State-Owned Companies
Mr. Gigaba's time as Public Enterprises Minister became a topic of much discussion. This was because of claims of widespread improper dealings at state-owned companies during that time. This period is often called "state capture." It was claimed that these dealings benefited companies linked to the Gupta brothers. Mr. Gigaba was known to have met with the Guptas. Some critics called him an "architect of state capture."
It was claimed that Mr. Gigaba weakened the management of state-owned companies. This was done by appointing people linked to the Guptas to leadership roles. These people then allegedly oversaw improper spending. He was also accused of pressuring officials to give contracts to Gupta-linked companies. For example, he was involved in appointing Dudu Myeni as South African Airways (SAA) chairperson. He also appointed Brian Molefe and Siyabonga Gama at Transnet.
Mr. Gigaba denied being involved in improper contracts. When he spoke to the Zondo Commission in 2021, he said, "Nothing that has been presented here places me anywhere near the money." He said that if improper things happened, it was by chance. However, critics suggested he received gifts for helping the Guptas. The Zondo Commission recommended that he be investigated further.
ANC Conference in Mangaung
Before the ANC's conference in December 2012, Mr. Gigaba supported Zuma's re-election as ANC president. He was re-elected as a regular member of the National Executive Committee. He was ranked second in votes received.
After the conference, Mr. Gigaba was elected to the ANC's important National Working Committee. He was also appointed to lead the ANC's election efforts. He ran the party's national campaign for the 2014 general election.
Offshore Bank Account Claims
In 2014, a newspaper reported that a bank account in Mr. Gigaba's name was found in Dubai. Sources said he told investigators that an official opened it without his knowledge. He later denied having any account in Dubai.
Return to Home Affairs: 2014–2017
In the May 2014 general election, Mr. Gigaba was high on the ANC's candidate list. President Zuma re-appointed him as Minister of Home Affairs.
Immigration Rules
Soon after becoming minister, Mr. Gigaba put new immigration rules in place. One rule said that children could not travel without their full birth certificate and parental consent. ..... However, it caused concerns for tourism. Mr. Gigaba later relaxed these rules in 2018.
In 2016, Mr. Gigaba was praised by LGTBQ activists. He stopped a pastor from entering South Africa to preach against gay people. Mr. Gigaba said the pastor would not get a visa without "public repentance."
Mr. Gigaba also continued the government's plan to issue smart ID cards. He started a program that allowed banks to issue these cards.
Gupta Family Citizenship
In 2015, Mr. Gigaba approved Ajay Gupta's application for South African citizenship. He allowed early citizenship for Gupta and his family. This reversed an earlier decision by his department. Mr. Gigaba said his decision was lawful.
A parliamentary committee investigated this decision. They found "significant irregularities" in the process. They concluded that Mr. Gigaba's decision was "incorrect." This was partly because the Gupta family's applications had incorrect information. The committee sent its findings to the Zondo Commission.
The Public Protector also investigated. She found that Mr. Gigaba had not reported the citizenship approval to Parliament as required.
Fireblade Aviation Case
In November 2016, the Oppenheimer family sued Mr. Gigaba. They claimed he went back on an agreement about their airport terminal, Fireblade Aviation. They said he had promised to make it an international entry point. They suggested his decision was influenced by the Gupta family. Mr. Gigaba denied approving the application. He said he opposed the project because he saw it as "exclusive."
A court ruled against Mr. Gigaba in October 2017. The judge said he had given incorrect information. Mr. Gigaba tried to appeal the ruling, but his appeals were dismissed by higher courts.
After the court's judgment, the Public Protector investigated. In October 2018, she found that Mr. Gigaba had violated rules by giving incorrect information. She asked Parliament to look into the matter.
Minister of Finance: 2017–2018
On 31 March 2017, President Zuma announced that Mr. Gigaba would replace Pravin Gordhan as Minister of Finance. This decision caused concern. The value of the South African currency, the rand, dropped. Credit rating agencies also lowered South Africa's credit rating. Mr. Gigaba said his main goal was to "stabilise the economy."
He said his ministry would work on "radical economic transformation." He also supported the nuclear power program, but only if the country could afford it. He later released a plan for "inclusive growth." His budget speeches received mixed reactions.
In December 2017, Mr. Gigaba was re-elected to the ANC's National Executive Committee. He was ranked fifth among the elected members.
Return to Home Affairs: 2018
In February 2018, President Ramaphosa became the new president. He moved Mr. Gigaba back to his former role as Minister of Home Affairs. Nhlanhla Nene became the new Minister of Finance.
Mr. Gigaba stayed in this role for less than a year. He faced increasing pressure over the Fireblade Aviation case. On 13 November, he resigned from the cabinet. He said his decision was to protect the government's reputation. He also resigned from the National Assembly on 15 November.
Later Career
Time Away from Frontline Politics: 2018–2024
Mr. Gigaba ran as an ANC candidate in the May 2019 general election. He won a seat but decided not to be sworn in. He then stepped back from frontline politics. He worked at Luthuli House, the ANC's headquarters. In 2020, he said he still believed he had a future in the ANC.
Zondo Commission Findings
The Zondo Commission published its report on improper dealings in state-owned companies in February 2022. The report recommended that Mr. Gigaba be investigated for possible violations of laws against improper activities. This was for allegedly receiving gifts from the Gupta family. The report mentioned luxury watches, a holiday, and payments for his father's home, his sister's debts, his wedding, and his children's school fees. Mr. Gigaba strongly disagreed with these recommendations.
ANC Conference in Nasrec II
In October 2022, Mr. Gigaba suggested he could run for ANC secretary-general. He did not run for a top leadership position. However, he was re-elected to the National Executive Committee at the conference in December 2022. He was the seventh-most popular member.
Return to Parliament: 2024–Present
Before the May 2024 general election, an ANC committee suggested that Mr. Gigaba should not be nominated for Parliament. This was because of the Zondo Commission's findings. However, the party included him on its list of candidates. He was elected to return to the National Assembly in the election. He was also elected as co-chairperson of Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Defence.
Personal Life
Mr. Gigaba's first wife was Thabong Nxumalo. They have a daughter. They divorced in 2014. In August 2014, he married businesswoman Nomachule "Norma" Mngoma. They have two sons.
Mr. Gigaba and Ms. Mngoma started divorce proceedings in 2020. In July 2020, Ms. Mngoma was arrested. She was accused of damaging a car Mr. Gigaba was using. A court later ruled that her arrest was unlawful. In 2021, they both spoke at the Zondo Commission. Ms. Mngoma claimed that Mr. Gigaba regularly received gifts from the Gupta brothers.
Mr. Gigaba was one of the first ministers to use social media. He has many followers on Twitter. In 2018, he was photographed playing a game on his iPad during a parliamentary meeting. The photo became very popular online.
Images for kids
-
Placards at a protest in Cape Town, 7 April 2017.
