Alfred Mpontshane | |
|---|---|
| Member of the National Assembly of South Africa | |
| In office September 1996 –1 August 2015 | |
| Succeeded by | Russel Cebekhulu |
| Constituency | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 May 1952 |
| Political party | Inkatha Freedom Party |
| Education | Inchanga High School |
| Alma mater | University of South Africa (BA) University of Zululand (BAHon) University of the Free State (MA) |
| Profession | Educator,politician |
Alfred Mkhipheni Mpontshane (born 14 May 1952) is a South African retired politician and a former Member of Parliament for the Inkatha Freedom Party. Mpontshane worked as a teacher before becoming involved in politics.
Mpontshane was born on 14 May 1952. He matriculated from Inchanga High School in 1972. He earned a secondary teachers diploma from the University of Zululand in 1975. In 1984,Mpontshane graduated from the University of South Africa with a Bachelor of Arts. Six years later,he would earn a honours degree in Political Sciences from the University of Zululand. In 1993,he received a Diploma in Diplomacy from the University of Birmingham. Mpontshane would go on to receive a Master of Arts in Governance and Political Transformation from the University of the Free State in 2006. [1]
Mpontshane was a teacher and principal of the Star of the Sea Catholic High School between 1976 and 1986 when was promoted to the position of Inspector of Schools. [1]
Mpontshane was sworn in as a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa in September 1996,representing the Inkatha Freedom Party. He was elected to his first full term in 1999 and subsequently re-elected in 2004,2009, [2] and finally 2014. [3] During his time in parliament,he was a member of the Education,Basic Education,Higher Education,Water and Sanitation,and State Security (Intelligence) committees. [1]
As the IFP National Education Spokesman,Mpontshane criticised the Department of Basic Education's move to restrict former Model C schools from paying teacher bonuses and other financial incentives to teachers in 2012. [4] In June 2015,Mpontshane called for a National School Bullying Summit after a video was released in which a pupil assaulted another pupil in full view of a teacher at Krugerlaan High School in Vereeniging,Gauteng. [5]
Mpontshane resigned from Parliament with effect from 1 August 2015. He was succeeded by former MP Russel Cebekhulu. [6]