Nomvuzo Shabalala facts for kids

Nomvuzo Francisca Shabalala (born April 29, 1960 – died December 26, 2020) was an important politician from South Africa. She was part of two major political groups: the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP). From 2011 to 2016, she served as the deputy mayor of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, which is a big city area. Later, in 2018, she became a member of the National Assembly, which is like the country's main parliament.

Nomvuzo Shabalala's Education Journey

Nomvuzo Shabalala was born on April 29, 1960. She finished grade eleven in school. She later studied different subjects at various colleges. At Mangosuthu Technikon, she learned about computer programming and word processing. She also studied waste management at the Natal Technikon. At Durban Commercial College, she learned accounting, bookkeeping, and advanced word processing. Finally, Shabalala completed a leadership course at the University of Pretoria.

Her Political Career

Early Political Roles

Nomvuzo Shabalala was active in politics for many years. From 2001 to 2002, she was the deputy chairperson for the ANC in the Durban South region. In 2011, she was chosen as the deputy mayor of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. She took over this role from Logie Naidoo. The next year, she was elected to the ANC's Provincial Executive Committee (PEC). This committee helps lead the party in the province. Shabalala left the ANC PEC in 2015. Also in 2015, she was elected as the deputy provincial chairperson of the South African Communist Party.

Later Political Activities

In February 2016, Shabalala spoke about the #FeesMustFall movement. This movement was about students protesting high university fees. In August 2016, Fawzia Peer became the new deputy mayor of eThekwini, taking over from Shabalala. In July 2017, Shabalala was elected to the Central Committee of the SACP. This is a very important group within the Communist Party.

On August 14, 2018, Shabalala became a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly. She then joined two important committees: the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs and the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. Later in August 2018, Nomalungelo Gina replaced her as the deputy provincial chair of the SACP.

Serving in Parliament

In May 2019, during the general election, Shabalala was elected to serve a full term as a Member of Parliament. She was then assigned to the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members Interests. She also joined the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, which deals with schooling matters.

Her Passing

Nomvuzo Shabalala passed away on December 26, 2020. She died from an illness related to COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa.