Lindiwe Zulu | |
---|---|
Minister of Social Development | |
In office 30 May 2019 – 28 May 2024 | |
President | Cyril Ramaphosa |
Deputy | Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu |
Preceded by | Susan Shabangu |
Succeeded by | Sisisi Tolashe |
Minister of Small Business Development | |
In office 25 May 2014 – 29 May 2019 | |
President | Jacob Zuma Cyril Ramaphosa |
Deputy | Elizabeth Thabethe |
Preceded by | Portfolio established |
Succeeded by | Khumbudzo Ntshavheni |
Member of the National Assembly | |
In office 21 May 2014 – 28 May 2024 | |
In office 6 May 2009 – 6 July 2009 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Nhlazatshe, Eastern Transvaal Union of South Africa | 21 April 1958
Spouse | Kgosietsile Itholeng |
Education | Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College |
Alma mater | Patrice Lumumba University |
Lindiwe Daphney Zulu (born 21 April 1958) is a South African politician and communications strategist who served as Minister of Social Development from May 2019 to May 2024. Before that she was the Minister of Small Business Development from 2014 to 2019. A member of the African National Congress (ANC), she has served on the party's National Executive Committee since December 2007.
Zulu entered politics during apartheid through the exiled ANC and rose to prominence as head of communications for the ANC Women's League during the negotiations to end apartheid. From 1999 to 2014, she worked in foreign affairs as a diplomat and political adviser; most notably she was South African Ambassador to Brazil from 2004 to 2009 and a foreign affairs adviser to President Jacob Zuma from 2009 to 2014.
She joined the National Assembly and Zuma's second-term cabinet after the 2014 general election. She remained in government for ten years before she lost her parliamentary seat in the 2024 general election.