Driven by her passion

Despite the myriad of challenges accompanying the positions of Democratic Alliance (DA) Deputy Federal Chairperson, national party spokesperson, Gauteng Legislature Member, motherhood and a bit of book writing on the side, Refiloe Nt’sekhe would not want to give up politics for anything in the world.
With fervour she takes a stance in communicating matters of importance, such as issues of political heritage moving her when witnessing evident neglect of an erstwhile Jewish synagogue formerly used as high court where ex-President Nelson Mandela was tried in Pretoria during a Heritage Day gathering in the company of DA Leader Mmusi Maimane the day before travelling to Limpopo. The day after her arrival she interacted with DA supporters in Sasekani Village in the Tzaneen area ahead of last week’s by-elections, using the opportunity to discuss the DA’s Vision 2029 enveloping the principles of freedom, fairness and opportunity.
During the interview she is joined by DA Limpopo Chairperson and Limpopo Legislature Member Langa Bodlani and naturally they share recollections of working side by side at times over an approximate 21-year span in politics, which started when they were still students in Cape Town and Johannesburg respectively.
She expresses the opinion that the party is at a good momentum and it is necessary that it maintains that impetus as it goes forward, and that it would confidently take over a few targeted municipalities in next year’s local government elections taking a stance that no area is a no-go zone for the DA. At this stage it is risky to predict percentages at the 2016 polls and she indicates that they could be having an idea of possible results by February.
Steering away from politics for a moment, the discussion turns to Nt’sekhe trying her hand at writing with a work of South African-based fiction on witchcraft co-authored with a friend who is an ex-journalist and artist. The book has not been published as yet.
Asked how she keeps up playing mother to three boys, she is quick to attribute it to good support systems and a housekeeper of six years who is in charge of domestic affairs.
Otherwise she is a traveller of note, whose choice for local destination would fall on Cape Town where she can take the yellow train to Muizenberg and spend time on the beach. When it comes to international locations she would settle for Thailand for its cultural appeal, Buddhist lifestyle and especially river markets. With her brothers she did six of the wonders of the world in the past, and is still left with a few on a growing list of must-sees. But for the time being the focus is on nothing other than politics and the cause she stands for.

Story: YOLANDE NEL
>>observer.yolande@gmail.com

Photo: Refiloe Nt’sekhe and Langa Bodlani.