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Narend Singh (born 5 September 1954) is a South African politician who is the chief whip of the Inkatha Freedom Party in the National Assembly and the treasurer-general of the party. Prior to joining the National Assembly in 2007, he was a Member of the Executive Council in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government from 1997 until 2006 and a member of the Senate from 1994 to 1996.
Narend Singh | |
|---|---|
 Singh in May 2019 | |
| Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment | |
| Assumed office 30 June 2024 | |
| President | Cyril Ramaphosa |
| Minister | Dion George |
| Preceded by | Maggie Sotyu |
| Treasurer-General of the Inkatha Freedom Party | |
| Assumed office 25 August 2019 | |
| President | Velenkosini Hlabisa |
| Member of the National Assembly of South Africa | |
| Assumed office 24 August 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Nhlanhla Zulu |
| Constituency | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Member of the Executive Council of KwaZulu-Natal | |
| In office April 1997 – March 2006 | |
| Premier |
|
| Member of the Senate of South Africa (abolished 1997) | |
| In office 1994–1996 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Narend Singh 4 September 1954 Umkomaas, Natal Province, South Africa |
| Political party | Inkatha Freedom Party |
| Spouse | Manitha |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Member of Parliament |
| Profession | Politician |
Singh was born on 5 September 1954 in Umkomaas, Natal Province.[1] He attended Umkomaas Drift Primary and Naidoo Memorial School in the small town of Craigieburn, just outside Umkomaas.[1] In 1971, he started studying towards a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Durban-Westville.[1] He left the university in 1974 to help out at a family business.[1] Singh later completed a postgraduate diploma in Economic Principles from the University of London in 1997.[2] In 2003, he obtained a master's degree in public policy and administration from the university.[2]
In 2019, he received a postgraduate diploma in public policy and African studies from the University of Johannesburg.[2]
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In 1988, Singh was recruited by community members to contest the 1989 House of Delegates election in the Umzinto constituency.[3] He went on to contest the election as a member of the Solidarity Party and won easily.[3] Singh received 5,024 votes.[3] In 1993, he joined the Inkatha Freedom Party. He turned down an offer from Roger Burrows to join the Democratic Party.[3]
Following the first multi-racial elections in 1994, Singh was elected to the Senate as an IFP delegate from KwaZulu-Natal.[3] He served in the Senate until 1996, when the IFP redeployed him to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.[1] In April 1997, he was appointed to the province's Executive Council and served on the council until March 2006,[1] when he resigned following a sex scandal.[4] Although the scandal was an embarrassment to the party, the party decided not to expel him.[5]
In August 2007, he was appointed to the National Assembly of South Africa to replace Nhlanhla Zulu, who had died the previous month.[6] Singh has since been re-elected in April 2009, May 2014, May 2019 and May 2024.[7]
Singh was later appointed as the IFP's chief whip in the assembly.[3] He is also the party's treasurer-general.[8]
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Singh is married to Manitha, and they have two children together.[3][1]
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