Mmusi Maimane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mmusi Maimane
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| 19th Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 29 May 2014 – 24 October 2019 |
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| President | Jacob Zuma Cyril Ramaphosa |
| Preceded by | Lindiwe Mazibuko |
| Succeeded by | John Steenhuisen |
| Federal Leader of the Democratic Alliance | |
| In office 10 May 2015 – 23 October 2019 |
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| Chair | Athol Trollip |
| Preceded by | Helen Zille |
| Succeeded by | John Steenhuisen |
| Member of the National Assembly of South Africa | |
| Assumed office 14 June 2024 |
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| Constituency | National |
| In office 21 May 2014 – 24 October 2019 |
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| Constituency | Gauteng |
| National Spokesperson of the Democratic Alliance | |
| In office November 2011 – 6 May 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Lindiwe Mazibuko |
| Succeeded by | Marius Redelinghuys Phumzile van Damme |
| Leader of Build One South Africa | |
| Assumed office 24 September 2022 |
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| Deputy | Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mmusi Aloysias Maimane
6 June 1980 Krugersdorp, Transvaal Province, South Africa |
| Political party |
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| Other political affiliations |
One South Africa Movement (2020–present) |
| Spouse |
Natalie Maimane
(m. 2005) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Allen Glen High School |
| Alma mater | University of the Witwatersrand (BA) University of South Africa (MPA) Bangor University (ThM) University of Johannesburg (PhD) |
| Occupation |
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Mmusi Aloysias Maimane (born 6 June 1980) is a South African politician. He is the leader of a political party called Build One South Africa.
Maimane was also the leader of South Africa's main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), from 2015 to 2019. During this time, he was also the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of South Africa. He was the first black South African to lead the DA.
Before leading the DA nationally, Maimane was the DA leader in the Johannesburg City Council. He also served as the DA's national spokesperson. In 2011, he ran to become the mayor of Johannesburg. He helped the party gain more votes, but he was not elected mayor. After that, he was the Leader of the Official Opposition in the Johannesburg City Council until 2014. Besides politics, he is also a pastor. In 2020, he started the One South Africa Movement. Then, in September 2022, he launched his new political party, Build One South Africa.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mmusi Maimane was born on June 6, 1980, in Krugersdorp, South Africa. His mother, Ethel Maimane, grew up in the Eastern Cape. She is from the Xhosa people. His father, Simon Maimane, was born in Soweto. He is from the Tswana people. His parents met in 1977 and got married in 1980.
Maimane grew up in Soweto. He went to Raucall and then Allen Glen High School, where he finished in 1997. He studied at several universities. He earned a degree in Psychology from the University of South Africa. He also got a Masters in Public Administration from the University of the Witwatersrand. From Bangor University in Wales, he earned a Masters in Theology.
Early Political Career
In 2010, Maimane decided to run as a candidate for the DA in the Johannesburg City Council. He also wanted to be the DA's candidate for Mayor of Johannesburg. In March 2011, the DA announced he would be their mayoral candidate. He was chosen after beating another candidate, Vasco da Gama.
In the 2011 local elections, the DA received 34.6% of the votes in Johannesburg. Maimane led 90 members of the DA in the City Council. However, the ANC won the mayoral seat. So, Maimane became the Leader of the Official Opposition. He worked on the Finance Committee and helped create the Governance Committee. Later in 2011, he became the DA's national spokesperson.
In 2012, Maimane was elected as the DA's deputy federal chairperson. He won against eight other candidates.
Becoming a National Leader
Running for Premier of Gauteng
On July 31, 2013, Maimane announced he wanted to become the DA's candidate for Premier of Gauteng. This was for the 2014 elections. He was chosen as the DA's candidate on August 9, 2013. He gave his first public speech as a candidate on September 12.
In the 2014 elections, the DA gained more votes in Gauteng. However, the ANC kept control of the province. Maimane lost to David Makhura. After this, Maimane decided to join the National Assembly of South Africa instead of the provincial legislature.
Joining the National Assembly
On May 29, 2014, Maimane was elected as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly. He was the only candidate and was chosen without opposition. This made him the first black man to hold this important position in South Africa. On June 5, 2014, Maimane announced his team of shadow ministers.
Leading the Democratic Alliance (2015–2019)
Becoming Party Leader
On April 18, 2015, Maimane announced he would run for federal leader of the DA. Many people supported him. On May 10, 2015, Maimane was elected leader of the DA. This happened at the party's meeting in Port Elizabeth. He won with almost 90% of the votes.
Challenges in Leadership
During his time as leader, Maimane faced some challenges. In 2015, a DA member, Dianne Kohler Barnard, shared a controversial post online. Maimane took action and she was temporarily removed from the party. This event caused some damage to the DA's image.
In 2017, former DA leader Helen Zille made comments about South Africa's colonial past that caused a lot of discussion. Maimane referred the matter to a party process. These situations showed the difficulties Maimane faced in leading the party.
Other Activities as Leader
In October 2015, Maimane tried to speak to students protesting at the University of Cape Town. He was booed and had to leave. Some younger members of his party felt he did not show enough support for the students.
In January 2016, Maimane announced a new approach for the DA on racism. He said that racists should not vote for the DA. He also introduced a charter on racism for new members. He wanted the party to be more diverse.
In January 2017, Maimane visited Israel, which caused some debate. In October 2017, Maimane and Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba led a march. They went to the home of the Gupta family to protest against corruption claims.
2019 Elections and Resignation
The 2019 general elections were Maimane's first as DA leader. Before the elections, polls suggested the DA might lose support. On May 8, 2019, the DA's votes decreased for the first time in its history. The party lost some seats in the National Assembly.
After the election results, there was talk that Maimane might step down. On October 20, 2019, Helen Zille was elected as the DA's federal council chairperson. The next day, Herman Mashaba resigned as Johannesburg mayor and from the DA. This led to more talk about Maimane's future.
On October 23, Maimane announced he was resigning as federal leader of the DA. He said that the DA was "not the vehicle best suited" for his vision for South Africa. He also resigned as a Member of Parliament and from the party on October 24. John Steenhuisen took over as the interim leader.
Later Career
In 2020, Maimane started the One South Africa Movement (OSAM). This is a group that works to improve society. At first, he said he would not start a new political party. However, in September 2022, he founded the political party Build One South Africa. He is currently the leader of this party.
Mmusi Maimane became a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa again on June 14, 2024. In July 2024, he was chosen to be the Chairperson of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Appropriations. In 2022, Maimane also became a business partner in an investment company called SiSebenza.
Personal Life
Maimane has been married to Natalie Maimane since 2005. They have three children together.
In August 2022, Maimane was robbed at gunpoint in a bar in Cape Town. Security and police quickly arrived. No one was hurt. Maimane said it was a reminder of the high crime levels in the country.
Images for kids
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Mmusi Maimane
See also
In Spanish: Mmusi Maimane para niños
