Jacob Zuma’s daughter Thuthukile nominated for youth development agency board

Former president Jacob Zuma’s daughter Thuthukile could make a comeback to public service.

She has been nominated to fill a vacancy on the board of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).

In a statement, parliament’s Joint Sub-Committee of the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities and of the Select Committee on Health and Social Services shortlisted 30 names of people to be interviewed to fill vacancies on the NYDA board.

One of them is Thuthukile, who was appointed chief of staff at the department of telecommunications and postal services in 2014 after consideration of her “capacity” for the position.

Appointment

At the time Siyabonga Cwele was Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister.

Thuthukile reportedly previously worked with Cwele at the State Security Agency, following him to her new post after the May 2014 general elections.

She was 25 at the time and her appointment raised eyebrows as the chief of staff post is seen as a very powerful position, with the incumbent responsible for the overall management of staff, and the office’s budget in the ministry.

She reportedly stepped down in 2018.

In a statement, the committee said the NYDA board had seven vacancies, after the term of previous board members expired in May.

Government spokesperson Nonceba Mhlauli is also on the list of nominees.

Candidates

Mhlauli is currently spokesperson to Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu.

Previously she was a researcher at the Southern African Clothing and Textile Union as well as for the ANC’s Western Cape Legislature caucus.

Before moving to the presidency, Mhlauli was the ANC’s parliamentary caucus spokesperson.

Other candidates who stand out are Sifiso Mtsweni and Naledi Maponopono.

Mtsweni has previously served as NYDA chairperson and holds a qualification in sports management and a certificate in SMME management and project Management.

He has served in the leadership of various youth political formations such as Congress of South African Students, South African Students Congress and the ANC Youth League, where he served on the National Executive Committee.

Maponopono is the deputy secretary of the Young Communist League of SA in the Western Cape.

The filling of board member positions is done in accordance with the NYDA Act which stipulates that the youth must participate in the nomination of candidates; the process of appointment must be transparent and open.

Board members must also reflect the demographics and geography of the country.

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