PHUTI MOSOMANE
FOUR EFF candidates were sworn in as new Members of the National Assembly by Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula in Parliament on Wednesday.
They include former ATM member, Mzwanele Manyi, Eugene Mthethwa, Nqobile Mhlongo and Mandla Shikwambana.
The EFF said in a statement it welcomed its newly sworn-in Members of Parliament.
“The EFF is confident that both Commissars and Fighters will bring quality to its parliamentary work and aid in the advancement of the agenda of economic freedom,” spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said.
Both Mhlongo and Shikwambana serve in the national leadership of the EFF called the Central Command Team (CCT).
Mhlongo has previously been involved in various leadership roles in the EFF’s lower structures. She was a convener of the EFF Branch at the University of Pretoria in 2013, was elected to the Branch Command Team of Ward 81 in 2014 and served as branch secretary of Ward 3 in 2017 in Tshwane.
Furthermore, she served as an EFF PR Councillor in the City of Tshwane Municipal Council from 2016 to 2017 and again from 2021 until her nomination to serve in the National Assembly.
Subsequently, she was elected as the Regional Secretary, a position she held between 2018 and 2021. Mhlongo, who holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Pretoria, was co-opted into the CCT in February 2023.
Shikwambana is a former President of the EFF Student Command (EFFSC), elected at the 3rd National Students Assembly.
According to the party, he has assumed various leadership roles including secretary of the Branch Students Command Team (BSCT) at the University of Venda, Student Representatives Council (SRC) President, Provincial Chairperson of the EFFSC in Limpopo Province, and was later elected to the Branch Command Team as an additional member.
Mzwanele Manyi previously held key positions, including the Director-General of the Department. of Labour and CEO of GCIS. Trained in Economic Geology, Manyi’s diverse career has spanned roles in sectors such as mining, ICT, banking, auto, and FMCG with corporations like Anglo American, IBM, Barclays bank plc, Toyota SA, and Tiger brands.
His leadership further extended to various boards such as Fosad, Peoples bank, Computershare, and Alexkor Diamond Mine. Manyi serves as a spokesperson for a former President Jacob Zuma’s Foundation.
As a senior public official, the EFF said he applied his comprehensive knowledge of Treasury Regulations, Strategic Financial Management, the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), Labour Laws, and BBBEE policies.
Eugene Mthethwa is a seasoned cultural activist and industry expert in the South African recording sector.
He has held a variety of leadership roles including Chairman of AIRCO (Association of Independent Record Companies of South Africa), Executive Board Member of Moshito (Music Industry Annual Conference & Exhibition), and Board Member of SACCD (South African Coalition for Cultural Diversity – a UNESCO affiliate).
Mthethwa has also served as a member of the SABC Music Industry Advisory Committee, and as the Acting Chairperson and later General Secretary of the Workers Union of South Africa (CWUSA).
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