African union chairperson nkosazana dlamini-zuma biography

She was also a member of the South African Students Organisation and was elected as its deputy president in During the same year, she fled into exile, completing medical studies at the University of Bristol in the UK in During her tenure, she de-segregated the health system and championed the radical health reforms which introduced access to free basic healthcare.

Inafter South Africa's first election under universal suffrage, Dlamini-Zuma was appointed as Minister of Health in the cabinet of President Nelson Mandelawhere she continued the work of her predecessor, Rina Venterin racially desegregating the health system and broadening state anti-tobacco measures. In Augustthe Department of Health awarded a R However, investigations revealed that Dlamini-Zuma had misled Parliament about the source of the project's funding which the Department had falsely said was sponsored by the European Union and had ignored proper bidding procedures.

She held the role until Octoberand was lauded for turning around the Department of Home Affairs. InDlamini-Zuma encountered public outcry when the Dalai Lama was unable to attend Desmond Tutu 's eightieth birthday party because the Department, hesitant to offend Chinafailed to issue him a visa. In doing so, she broke an "unwritten rule" that major African powers do not put forward candidates for AU positions.

Dlamini-Zuma was unpopular and disliked among AU officials for her apparent aloofness and absenteeism. She was criticised for filling her advisory office and security detail with South African nationals, and for spending much of her time in South Africa instead of at AU headquarters in Addis Ababareinforcing "perceptions of South Africa as an insular nation".

In earlyDlamini-Zuma returned full-time to South Africa from Addis Ababa, and launched a campaign — ultimately unsuccessful — to win the presidency of the ANC see below. During her campaign, on 21 Septembershe was sworn back in as a Member of the National Assemblyfilling a casual vacancy arising from Pule Mabe 's resignation. Between March and AprilSouth Africa was officially under a national state of disasterwhich allowed the executive to bypass Parliament in regulating the country's response to the COVID pandemic.

In terms of the Disaster Management Act, Dlamini-Zuma, as COGTA Minister, was responsible for promulgating those regulations; she therefore, unexpectedly, gained significant power over South African policy, leading many commentators to call her a de facto head of state or prime minister. However, some levity was introduced into the situation in Maywhen South African DJ Max Hurrell released a house song which sampled remarks that Dlamini-Zuma had made during a press briefing about the tobacco ban.

The song became a social media meme and the african union chairperson nkosazana dlamini-zuma biography played song in South Africa on Apple Musicand a video version produced by the Kiffness went viral online. We just need to talk", and reached out to the DJ to congratulate him "on entertaining the nation during this difficult period".

As early ason some accounts, her supporters were "lobbying openly" for Dlamini-Zuma to replace Zuma as ANC president at the conclusion of the latter's term in late Her campaign, under the slogan WeAreReady, [ 79 ] centred on land redistribution, reform at the South African Reserve Bankand economic transformation generally, a policy package which aligned her closely with the so-called Radical Economic Transformation RET faction, a pro-Zuma grouping.

By Septemberamid preparations for the 55th National ConferenceDlamini-Zuma was understood to be planning to run again for the ANC presidency. On 7 Aprilamid national public demonstrations against Zuma's presidency, Dlamini-Zuma caused controversy by apparently disparaging the protests as "rubbish". They must join us for the march for our land they stole Dlamini-Zuma later said the tweet was "fake".

Injournalist Jacques Pauw claimed in The President's Keepers that Dlamini-Zuma's campaign for the ANC presidency was sponsored partly by businessman Adriano Mazzotti, whose company, Carnilinx, was widely suspected of involvement in cigarette smuggling and other illicit activities. Mazzotti allegedly financed the campaign's merchandise.

African union chairperson nkosazana dlamini-zuma biography

The allegations were revived inas commentators questioned whether Dlamini-Zuma was pursuing the government's tobacco ban see above because of her alleged connections to tobacco smugglers, who would benefit from the ban. Dlamini-Zuma was married to former President Jacob Zuma between and Dlamini-Zuma received the Order of Luthuli in gold in Contents move to sidebar hide.

Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikiquote Wikidata item. South African politician born The Honourable. Additional offices —present. Jacob Zuma. Politician medical doctor diplomat anti-apartheid activist. Early life and career [ edit ]. Career in government [ edit ].

Sarafina II [ edit ]. Chair of the African Union Commission [ edit ]. Return to government [ edit ]. COVID pandemic [ edit ]. African National Congress leadership [ edit ]. Controversies [ edit ]. Alleged connections to cigarette smugglers [ edit ]. Personal life [ edit ]. Honours [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. Retrieved 26 September The many faces of Dr Dlamini-Zuma".

Retrieved 25 September Being elected to the position of AUC chairperson was a major achievement in the sense that for the first time since the formation of the Organisation for African Unity, which became the African Union, a woman and indeed a candidate of the southern region was successfully elected to this high post. Post Views: She has worked tirelessly for African peace and stability, especially in Burundi, Comoros and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

She was also instrumental in the launch of the African Union in Durban in Inshe was appointed minister of home interior affairs, a position she held untilwhen she was elected as the chairperson of the African Union Commission. Her work in the African Union Commission focuses on a continental drive to ensure an Africa that is prosperous, integrated and peaceful.