David Mahlobo

David Mahlobo (born 14 January 1972) is South Africa's former Minister of Energy and former Minister of State Security.[1]

The Honourable

David Mahlobo

MP
Minister of Energy
In office
17 October 2017 – 26 February 2018
PresidentJacob Zuma
Cyril Ramaphosa
DeputyEllen Molekane
Preceded byMmamoloko Kubayi
Succeeded byJeff Radebe
Minister of State Security
In office
25 May 2014 – 17 October 2017
PresidentJacob Zuma
Preceded bySiyabonga Cwele
Succeeded byBongani Bongo
Personal details
Born
Mbangiseni David Mahlobo

(1972-01-14) 14 January 1972
Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Nationality South African
Political partyAfrican National Congress
Spouse(s)Nompumelelo Mahlobo
MotherSibongile Mahlobo
FatherMandlenkosi Mahlobo
EducationBSc Hon (Biochemistry)
BSc (Microbiology and Biochemistry)
Alma materUniversity of Zululand

Early life

David Mahlobo was born on 14 January 1972 on a farm called Bergplaas, KwaNdwalaza, close to Piet Retief in current province of Mpumalanga in South Africa.[1] He is the son of Chief Mandlenkosi Mahlobo, Chief of the KwaMahlobo Traditional Community in Mpumalanga.[2] Subject to forced removals during the apartheid era, he and his siblings would spend the earlier years of his life in Swaziland.[1]

Education

He returned to South Africa in 1983 and attended school and graduating Bambanani High School in 1991.[1][3] He would later attend the University of Zululand where he granted a BSc degree in Microbiology and Biochemistry in 1998 and in 1999 received a BSc Honours degree in biochemistry.[4] While at the University of Zululand he was active in the students' representative council and elected as secretary general for two terms as well as working for the ANC, ANCYL and South African Students Congress.[3]

Political career

After the unbanning of the ANC, Mahlobo worked as a recruiter for the organization, mobilizing the farming community's around Piet Retief and Pongola helping to organizing the parties structures in those regions.[3] Joining the South African civil service in 2002, he was appointed the Director of Transformation in the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry until 2009.[5] Then in 2009, he was appointed as Head of Department in the Mpumalanga Province for the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, a position that lasted until mid-2014.[5] At the ANCs party conference at Mangaung in 2012, Mahlobo was appointed to the organisation's National Executive Committee (NEC).[6] His appointment to the NEC surprised some, attributing it either to his ten-year relationship with Jacob Zuma or the premier of Mpumalanga, David Mabuza.[6] In the NEC, he would participate on the National Working Committees for peace and stability and organisation building; did work for the NEC in both Gauteng and Free State provinces and was assigned to the transition team in 2013 that reformed the ANC Youth League after Julius Malema was asked to resign the position, prior to the latters expulsion from the ANC.[6] On the 25 May 2014, President Zuma appointed Mahlobo to the cabinet as Minister of State Security, a position he held until 2017.[7] The High Level Review Panel appointed by President Ramaphosa in June 2018 cited as its key finding in December 2018[8] that the Minister had presided over the State Security Agency (SSA) at a time when it showed "an almost complete disregard for the Constitution, policy, legislation and other prescripts ... turning our civilian intelligence community into a private resource to serve the political and personal interests of particular individuals". The report further recommended that criminal activities and breaches of the law be investigated.

Rhino Horn Smuggling

Mahlobo has been linked to a Chinese syndicate involved in rhino poaching and horn smuggling. Rhino horn smuggler Guan Jiang Guang appeared in an Al Jazeera documentary showing a picture of himself and Mahlobo, calling the minister his friend, however Mahlobo has denied the allegations saying he was going to Guang for a spa treatment. [9][10]As of November 2016, Mahlobo is currently being investigated by the South African elite police unit, the Hawks (South Africa) because of allegations made by Guan Jiang Guang, a self-professed rhino horn trader, that he was close to the minister and his wife.[11] Mahlobo has denied all association with the man except for visiting his massage spa.[11]

References
  1. "Biographical Notes: Minister David Mahlobo". Department of Energy. 2 January 2017.
  2. "'Super HOD' tag doesn't bother minister David Mahlobo". City Press. News24 (published 1 June 2014). 2 January 2017.
  3. "Government leaders". Government of South Africa. 2 January 2017.
  4. "Mr David Mahlobo". Sabinet. 2 January 2017.
  5. "David Mahlobo". People's Assembly. 12 January 2017.
  6. Pillay, Verashni; De Wet, Phillip (2 January 2017). "Zuma's Cabinet: Experience is wanting among top spook's attributes". M&G (published 30 May 2014).
  7. Ferreira, Emsie (2 January 2017). "Executive decision: Zuma's new cabinet". M&G (published 25 May 2014).
  8. High Level Review Panel Report of the State Security Agency. December 2018 (redacted version released by the President of South Africa on 9 March, 2019 http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/download/file/fid/1518
  9. https://www.news24.com/Video/SouthAfrica/News/watch-rhino-horn-smuggler-calls-david-mahlobo-his-friend-20161116
  10. https://www.news24.com/Video/SouthAfrica/News/watch-i-was-only-going-for-a-spa-treatment-says-mahlobo-20161114
  11. "S Africa probes David Mahlobo links to rhino smuggling". www.aljazeera.com (published 18 November 2016). 8 January 2017.
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