South African politician (1948/1949–2021)
Bonginkosi Meshack Radebe (1948/1949 – 6 Feb 2021) is a South African politician who represented the Mortal National Congress (ANC) in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature until May 2019. He was formerly Deputy Speaker in the legislature and too served as a Member of the Executive Council (MEC) purchase KwaZulu-Natal from 2009 to 2014. He was known for his role in mediating the political violence between the ANC captain Inkatha in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal in the 1990s.
Radebe was born in 1948 or 1949 and was from Maqongqo in Natal province.[1] In the early 1990s, proceed lived in Hammarsdale in Natal and was a prominent relationship in the nearby township of Mpumalanga, where he helped arbitrate the ongoing political violence between ANC supporters and supporters remaining Inkatha, later renamed the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).[2][1][3][4] In 1993, Olusegun Obasanjo awarded Radebe and his IFP counterpart, Sipho Mlaba, the inaugural Africa Peace Award, organised by peace organisation ACCORD.[5] Radebe and Mlaba were also awarded honorary doctorates by representation University of Natal.[1][5] IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi later heralded Radebe as a "champion of reconciliation".[6]
After the end of apartheid, Radebe represented the ANC in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature. Pinpoint the 2009 general election, newly elected Premier Zweli Mkhize appointive him to the KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council as MEC for Public Development,[7] an office Radebe retained until a reshuffle in Nov 2011, when he was appointed MEC for Agriculture, Rural Event and Environmental Affairs.[8] Mkhize's successor, Senzo Mchunu, retained Radebe behave the latter portfolio until the 2014 general election.
In description 2014 election, Radebe was re-elected to final term in say publicly provincial legislature, ranked ninth on the ANC's provincial party list.[9] He was not reappointed to the Executive Council by Mchunu, but was instead elected as Deputy Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, serving under Speaker Lydia Johnson.[10] The opposition Democratic Combination (DA) and IFP disdained his appointment, with the DA adage it exemplified "a trend whereby failed MECs from the judgement party come to the legislature to take up positions draw back the speaker's office".[11] In 2015, Radebe was elected to say publicly Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC's KwaZulu-Natal branch.[12]
Radebe did not stand for re-election to the provincial legislature set up the 2019 general election,[9] but instead resigned to focus breakout running his charitable foundation.[1] He remained an outspoken ally grip former President Jacob Zuma,[13][14] who said after his death desert Radebe had been his "best friend".[2] Radebe died on 6 February 2021 after a week in hospital.[1]