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The Executive Council of KwaZulu-Natal is the cabinet of the executive branch of the provincial government in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. The Members of the Executive Council (MECs) are appointed from among the members of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature by the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, an office held since May 2024 by Thami Ntuli of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).
After his election in the 2009 general election, Premier Zweli Mkhize announced his new Executive Council on 11 May 2009. [1] Weeks afterwards, Bheki Cele resigned as MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, in order to become National Police Commissioner. On 29 July, Mkhize announced that Cele would be replaced by Willies Mchunu, and that Nomusa Dube-Ncube would in turn take over Mchunu's portfolio, Local Government and Traditional Affairs. [2] In November 2011, Mkhize announced a reshuffle of his cabinet which affected four portfolios. [3]
| Post | Member | Term | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Zweli Mkhize | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Ina Cronje | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Health | Sibongiseni Dhlomo | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Senzo Mchunu | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development and Tourism | Mike Mabuyakhulu | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development | Meshack Radebe | 2011 | 2013 | ANC |
| Lydia Johnson | 2009 | 2011 | ANC | |
| MEC for Human Settlement and Public Works | Ravi Pillay | 2011 | 2013 | ANC |
| Maggie Govender | 2009 | 2011 | ANC | |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Willies Mchunu | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| Bheki Cele | 2009 | 2009 | ANC | |
| MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2009 | 2013 | ANC |
| Willies Mchunu | 2009 | 2009 | ANC | |
| MEC for Social Development | Weziwe Thusi | 2011 | 2013 | ANC |
| Meshack Radebe | 2009 | 2011 | ANC | |
| MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation | Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha | 2011 | 2013 | ANC |
| Weziwe Thusi | 2009 | 2011 | ANC | |
When Senzo Mchunu succeeded Zweli Mkhize as Premier in September 2013, he retained Mkhize's Executive Council but appointed Peggy Nkonyeni to replace himself as MEC for Education. [4] Following the next general election in May 2014, in which Mchunu was elected to a full term as Premier, he again largely preserved the composition of the Executive Council; he made only two new appointments, replacing the MEC for Finance and MEC for Agriculture. He also effected a minor restructuring of the Executive Council, transferring environmental affairs from the Agriculture and Rural Development portfolio to the Economic Development and Tourism portfolio. [5] [6]
| Post | Member | Term | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Senzo Mchunu | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Belinda Scott | 2014 | 2016 | ANC |
| Ina Cronje | 2013 | 2014 | ANC | |
| MEC for Health | Sibongiseni Dhlomo | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Peggy Nkonyeni | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Mike Mabuyakhulu | 2014 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development and Environmental Affairs | Mike Mabuyakhulu | 2013 | 2014 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Cyril Xaba | 2014 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development | Meshack Radebe | 2013 | 2014 | ANC |
| MEC for Human Settlement and Public Works | Ravi Pillay | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Willies Mchunu | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Cooperative and Traditional Affairs | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Social Development | Weziwe Thusi | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
| MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation | Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha | 2013 | 2016 | ANC |
Willies Mchunu replaced Senzo Mchunu as Premier in May 2016 and the following month he announced a reshuffle of the Executive Council, in which he fired four MECs and appointed Mxolisi Kaunda to take over his own former portfolio as MEC for Transport and Community Safety. [7] Senzo Mchunu's supporters described the reshuffle as a purge of politicians who had supported Senzo Mchunu's failed bid to gain re-election as Provincial Chairperson of the governing ANC. [7]
| Post | Member | Term | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Willies Mchunu | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Belinda Scott | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Health | Sibongiseni Dhlomo | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Mthandeni Dlungwana | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| Peggy Nkonyeni | 2016 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Sihle Zikalala | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| Mike Mabuyakhulu | 2016 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Themba Mthembu | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| Cyril Xaba | 2016 | 2016 | ANC | |
| MEC for Human Settlement and Public Works | Ravi Pillay | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Mxolisi Kaunda | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Cooperative and Traditional Affairs | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Social Development | Weziwe Thusi | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation | Bongi Sithole-Moloi | 2016 | 2019 | ANC |
| Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha | 2016 | 2016 | ANC | |
Pursuant to the May 2019 general election, Sihle Zikalala was elected Premier and announced his new Executive Council. [8] On 11 September 2019, he appointed Bheki Ntuli as MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison; Ntuli succeeded Mxolisi Kaunda, who had left the provincial government to become Mayor of eThekwini. [9] On 17 November 2020, Zikalala announced that Nomusa Dube-Ncube, formerly the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, had swopped portfolios with Ravi Pillay, formerly the MEC for Finance. [10] In January 2021, Ntuli died; he was replaced in March by Peggy Nkonyeni, formerly the MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement, who in turn was replaced by Jomo Sibiya. [11]
| Post | Member | Term | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Sihle Zikalala | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2020 | 2022 | ANC |
| Ravi Pillay | 2019 | 2020 | ANC | |
| MEC for Health | Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Kwazi Mshengu | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Ravi Pillay | 2020 | 2022 | ANC |
| Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2019 | 2020 | ANC | |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Bongi Sithole-Moloi | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement | Jomo Sibiya | 2021 | 2022 | ANC |
| Peggy Nkonyeni | 2019 | 2021 | ANC | |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Peggy Nkonyeni | 2021 | 2022 | ANC |
| Bheki Ntuli | 2019 | 2021 | ANC | |
| Mxolisi Kaunda | 2019 | 2019 | ANC | |
| MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Sipho Hlomuka | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Social Development | Nonhlanhla Khoza | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
| MEC for Arts and Culture, Sports and Recreation | Hlengiwe Mavimbela | 2019 | 2022 | ANC |
On 10 August 2022, Nomusa Dube-Ncube was elected Premier following Sihle Zikalala's resignation from the office; she announced her new Executive Council the following day, making several significant changes from Zikalala's cabinet. [12] [13] In late January 2023, the ANC announced that Zikalala would resign from his position as MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in order to join the National Assembly; [14] Bongi Sithole-Moloi took over his position in the Executive Council a week later, and Sithole's former portfolio, Agriculture and Rural Development, was in turn filled by Super Zuma. [15] The Executive Council was reshuffled once again on 23 May 2023 to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Amanda Mapena. The MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement Ntuthuko Mahlaba was appointed to succeed Mapena as the MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture while Sipho Nkosi joined the Executive Council and took over Mahlaba's position. [16]
| Post | Member | Term | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Finance | Peggy Nkonyeni | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Health | Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Mbali Frazer | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Siboniso Duma | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Super Zuma | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| Bongi Sithole-Moloi | 2022 | 2023 | ANC | |
| MEC for Public Works and Human Settlement | Sipho Nkosi | 2023 | 2024 | ANC |
| Ntuthuko Mahlaba | 2022 | 2023 | ANC | |
| MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison | Sipho Hlomuka | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Bongi Sithole-Moloi | 2023 | 2024 | ANC |
| Sihle Zikalala | 2022 | 2023 | ANC | |
| MEC for Social Development | Nonhlanhla Khoza | 2022 | 2024 | ANC |
| MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture | Ntuthuko Mahlaba | 2023 | 2024 | ANC |
| Amanda Mapena | 2022 | 2023 | ANC | |
No party won a majority of seats in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature in the 2024 provincial election. The African National Congress, previously the party's governing party, collapsed to third place while the newly established uMkhonto weSizwe won a plurality of seats in the legislature. The Inkatha Freedom Party won the second-most seats in the legislature and opted to form a "Provincial Government of Unity" with the ANC, the Democratic Alliance, and the National Freedom Party. [17] The IFP's Thami Ntuli was elected Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, while the ANC and the DA received the Speaker and Deputy Speaker position in the legislature. [18] On 18 June 2024, Ntuli announced his Executive Council comprising four IFP members, three ANC members, two DA members and one NFP member. [19]
| Post | Member | Term | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier of KwaZulu-Natal | Thami Ntuli | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP |
| MEC for Finance | Francois Rodgers | 2024 | Incumbent | DA |
| MEC for Health | Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu | 2024 | Incumbent | ANC |
| MEC for Education | Sipho Hlomuka | 2024 | Incumbent | ANC |
| MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | Musa Zondi | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP |
| MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development | Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP |
| MEC for Transport and Human Settlements | Siboniso Duma | 2024 | Incumbent | ANC |
| MEC for Social Development | Mbali Shinga | 2024 | Incumbent | NFP |
| MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Thulasizwe Buthelezi | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP |
| MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure | Martin Meyer | 2024 | Incumbent | DA |
| MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture | Mntomuhle Khawula | 2024 | Incumbent | IFP |
Bongiwe Nomusa Sithole-Moloi (née Sithole) has served as KwaZulu-Natal's Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs since February 2023. She has represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature since 2014.
Edward Senzo Mchunu is a South African politician currently serving as Minister of Police since 30 June 2024. A member of the African National Congress (ANC), he was formerly the Minister of Public Service and Administration from 30 May 2019 to 5 August 2021 and the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal from 22 August 2013 until 23 May 2016.
Sihle Zikalala is a South African politician from KwaZulu-Natal who has been a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa since 2023, representing the African National Congress. He was Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure from March 2023 to June 2024. Before his redeployment to the national government, he had been the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal and a Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.
Ravigasen Ranganathan "Ravi" Pillay is a South African attorney and African National Congress (ANC) politician who served as the Member of the Executive Council for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government from November 2020 until August 2022. He was the MEC for Finance from May 2019 to November 2020 and the MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works from 2011 to 2019. Pillay was elected to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in 2009 and served as the legislature's chief whip of the majority party from 2009 to 2011.
Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu is a South African lawyer and African National Congress (ANC) politician who has been serving as the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Health since May 2019. She became a Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in May 2014. She was the chair of the legislature's Agriculture Portfolio Committee from 2014 to 2019. Simelane-Zulu was previously involved in the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL).
Nonhlanhla Mildred Khoza is a South African politician in KwaZulu-Natal serving as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for the provincial Department of Social Development. She was appointed to the position in May 2019. Khoza became a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in May 2014. She is the current provincial chairperson of the African National Congress Women's League.
Siphosihle Emmanuel Hlomuka is a South African politician who is the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison in KwaZulu-Natal, having been appointed in August 2022. He served as the MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs from May 2019 to August 2022. Hlomuka was sworn in as a Member of the Provincial Legislature in May 2019. He is the deputy provincial secretary of the African National Congress.
Nomusa Dube-Ncube is a South African politician and former diplomat who was the 9th Premier of KwaZulu-Natal from August 2022 to June 2024. A member of the African National Congress, she is the first woman to hold the office. She was succeeded by Thami Ntuli.
Kwazikwenkosi Innocent Mshengu is a South African lawyer and African National Congress politician who served as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Education in KwaZulu-Natal until 11 August 2022 when he was replaced with Mbali Frazer by the new KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube. He served as a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature from May 2019 until February 2023. Mshengu is the provincial chairperson of the African National Congress Youth League.
Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni is a South African politician and educator. A member of the African National Congress, she has been the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Finance in KwaZulu-Natal since 2022.
Ntuthuko Mbongiseni Sibiya, known as Jomo Sibiya, is a South African politician who served as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Human Settlements and Public Works in KwaZulu-Natal from March 2021 until August 2022. A member of the African National Congress, Sibiya was elected to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in 2014.
Siboniso Armstrong Duma is a South African politician who is the provincial chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal. He is also Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs in the KwaZulu-Natal government.
Amanda Glenrose Mapena is a South African politician who was the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Sports, Arts and Culture in KwaZulu-Natal from August 2022 until her resignation in April 2023. She has been a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature since May 2019. Mapena is a member of the African National Congress.
Mbalenhle Cleopatra Frazer, commonly known as Mbali Frazer, is a South African politician and former educator who has been KwaZulu-Natal's Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Education since August 2022. She has served in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature as an African National Congress MPL since 2014. Frazer was elected deputy provincial chairperson of the African National Congress Women's League in August 2023.
Nkululeko Ntuthuko Mahlaba is a South African politician and healthcare practitioner. A member of the African National Congress, he serves as the party's provincial treasurer in KwaZulu-Natal as well as the chairperson of the party's Mbuso Kubheka Region. Since May 2023, he has been the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) responsible for Sports, Arts and Culture in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government. From August 2022 to May 2023, he was the MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works. Mahlaba previously served as the executive mayor of the Newcastle Local Municipality from 2019 to 2021.
Ntombikayise Nomawisile Sibhidla-Saphetha is a South African politician who has represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature since 2011. She was formerly KwaZulu-Natal's Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation from November 2011 to May 2016, and before that she represented the ANC in the National Assembly from 2007 to 2011.
Weziwe Gcotyelwa Thusi is a South African politician who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature and KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council until 2019. Most prominently, she was KwaZulu-Natal's Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Social Development from 2011 to 2019. She later served as Speaker of the eThekweni Metropolitan Council from 2019 until 2021, when she resigned from politics.
Michael Mabuyakhulu is a South African politician and former trade unionist who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature between 1994 and 2016. He also served for seventeen years in the KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council, most prominently as Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Economic Development and Tourism from 2009 to 2016.
Bangokwakhe Madesius "Super" Zuma is a South African politician and former trade unionist who has served as KwaZulu-Natal's Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Agriculture and Rural Development since February 2023. He has represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature since September 2018, having formerly served in his seat from 2014 to 2015.
Bonginkosi Meshack Radebe is a South African politician who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature until May 2019. He was formerly Deputy Speaker in the legislature and also served as a Member of the Executive Council (MEC) in KwaZulu-Natal from 2009 to 2014. He was known for his role in mediating the political violence between the ANC and Inkatha in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal in the 1990s.