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Keith Muntuwenkosi "Musa" Zondi (born 19 February 1960) is a South African politician who has been KwaZulu-Natal's Member of the Executive Council for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs since 2024. A member of the Inkatha Freedom Party, he was sworn in as a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in October 2023. Previously, he served as Deputy Minister of Public Works from 2001 to 2004. He represented KwaZulu-Natal in the National Council of Provinces from 1994 to 1999 and in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2012. He served as the party's secretary-general and was widely touted as a possible successor to IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi before he resigned from his party office and legislative seat in February 2012.
Musa Zondi | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs | |
| Assumed office 18 June 2024 | |
| Premier | Thami Ntuli |
| Preceded by | Siboniso Duma |
| Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature | |
| Assumed office 31 October 2023 | |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office June 1999 – 1 February 2012 | |
| Delegate to the National Council of Provinces | |
| Assembly Member for KwaZulu-Natal | |
| In office May 1994 – June 1999 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Keith Muntuwenkosi Zondi 19 February 1960 Nkandla, Natal Province Union of South Africa |
| Political party | Inkatha Freedom Party |
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Zondi was born on 19 February 1960 in Nkandla in the former Natal province.[1] He joined the Inkatha Youth Brigade in 1976 and also served as vice-chairman of the Students Christian Movement at Dlangezwa High School. His attempt to complete a bachelor's degree at the University of Fort Hare was disturbed by student boycotts, and the apartheid government denied him permission to study at Wits University, a campus designated for whites.[1]
Instead, Zondi worked until 1984 in the government of the KwaZulu bantustan. He worked at Khulani Holdings, a private company, from 1984 to 1987, when he left to help establish the non-profit Foundation for Leadership Development. He was also elected national chairman of the Inkatha Youth Brigade in 1984.[1]
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In South Africa's first post-apartheid elections in 1994, Zondi was elected to represent Inkatha (by then restyled as the IFP) in the KwaZulu-Natal caucus of the Senate (later the National Council of Provinces).[2] In the next general election in 1999, he was elected to the National Assembly on the party list for the KwaZulu-Natal constituency.[3] He also served as the IFP's national spokesperson.[4] In January 2001, President Thabo Mbeki appointed him to deputise Minister Stella Sigcau as Deputy Minister of Public Works; he replaced Buyisiwe Nzimande.[5]
Following Zondi's re-election in 2004,[6] President Mbeki invited him to stay on as Deputy Minister, but Zondi and Vincent Ngema, who had also been offered a deputy ministerial position, said that they could not accept the offer until Mbeki's party, the African National Congress, had reached a comprehensive agreement with the IFP about the nature of their partnership.[7] After receiving this response, Mbeki said that he would simply appoint two other deputy ministers who were willing to accept the job immediately.[7] Zondi continued as an ordinary Member of Parliament and was re-elected to his seat in 2009.[8]
Simultaneously, he served as secretary-general of the party and was considered a frontrunner to succeed Mangosuthu Buthelezi as IFP president;[9][10] while the party's dissident factions generally preferred Zanele Magwaza-Msibi, Zondi had the support of some of the conservative core that had formerly supported Buthelezi.[11][12] However, Buthelezi proved reluctant to retire, and the party's leadership elections were delayed indefinitely. In December 2011, Zondi announced that he would not stand for re-election as secretary-general and would instead seek to spend more time with his family. His announcement followed rumours that he was having an affair with a married IFP colleague; he said that his IFP rivals had been conducting a smear campaign against him and had even plotted to kill him to remove him from the succession race.[13]
In February 2012, Zondi announced his immediate retirement from frontline politics, resigning from the IFP secretary-general's office and from his legislative seat.[14]
In October 2023, Zondi returned to active politics as he was sworn into the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature for the IFP.[15] Following the 2024 provincial election, Zondi was appointed Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for the Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Edtea) portfolio by IFP premier Thami Ntuli.[16]
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He is married to Nondumiso Ngubane Zondi, with whom he has two children.[1][14]his second wife is Ntuthuko Madlala ,with whom he has three children. He is a member of the Lutheran Church[1] and chairs KwaZulu-Natal's Diakonia Council of Churches, in which capacity he has publicly spoken against xenophobia.[17]
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