Jackson Mthembu’s biography: age, career, children, wife, siblings, death
Jackson Mthembu is a former South African politician who worked closely with Cyril Ramaphosa and Jacob Zuma. He was the Minister in The Presidency in charge of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation at the time of his demise.
Source: Getty Images
Jackson Mthembu had a long-running political career. He was an anti-apartheid activist who was part of the liberation struggle in South Africa.
Profile summary
| Full name | Jackson Mphikwa Mthembu |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 5th June 1958 |
| Date of demise | 21st January 2021 |
| Age at death | 62 years |
| Place of birth | Schoongezicht farm, Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Zodiac sign | Gemini |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Black |
| Marital status | Married until death |
| Widow | Thembi Mthembu |
| Children | 6 |
| Mother | Rosie Nantoni Mthembu |
| Alma mater | Schoongezicht American Board Primary School, Kromkrans Farm School, Elukhanyisweni Secondary School, and University of Fort Hare |
| Profession | Former politician |
Jackson Mthembu's biography
Jackson Mphikwa Mthembu was a former South African politician. He was the Minister in The Presidency in charge of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation until his demise.
How old was Jackson Mthembu?
The late politician was 62 years old at the time of his demise. He was born on 5th June 1958 and took his last breath on 21st January 2021.
Where was Jackson Mthembu from?
The late politician was from Schoongezicht farm, Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, South Africa. He was born and raised in Mpumalanga province. His mother's name is Mama Rosie Nantoni Mthembu.
Source: Getty Images
Educational background
The late political leader started his schooling at Schoongezicht American Board Primary School. He also went to Kromkrans Farm School at some point.
After his primary education, he joined Elukhanyisweni Secondary School in Emalahleni. He was a student leader in high school. He later joined the University of Fort Hare for higher studies. He was expelled from the university in 1980 due to his anti-apartheid activism.
Career
Mthembu started his political journey at a young age. He was a student leader during the 1976 students' uprisings when he was at Elukhanyisweni Secondary School. His role in student politics was felt in the 1970s. He was an outspoken anti-apartheid activist in his university years.
Later, the former politician was employed as a senior shop steward at Highveld Steel Corporation, where he played an instrumental role in the formation of the Metal and Allied Workers Union. He was also an active member of the eMalahleni Civic Association, National Education Crisis, and the Detainees Parents' Support Committee.
He was detained and tortured in the 1980s for his activism efforts. The harassment from the security forces pushed him into internal exile in Soweto and Alexandra in Gauteng.
During the reign of the late Mama Albertina Sisulu, he was elected Deputy Regional Secretary of the UDF in the then Pretoria- Witwatersrand-Vereeniging region. He then joined the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) and championed for the first democratic elections in South West Africa, now Namibia.
In 1990, political parties in SA were unbanned. He became the head of Emalahleni branch of the African National Congress (ANC). He became the official ANC spokesperson in Mpumalanga from 1990 to 1994. He also served in various capacities in the party.
After the first democratic elections in 1994, he contributed to the crafting of the democratic Constitution of the Republic of SA. He was then appointed as a member of the Executive Council for Public Works, Roads, and Transport in Mpumalanga.
In 2014, he rejoined Parliament as the Chair of the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs. From 2016 to 2019, he was the Chief Whip of the ANC.
After the 2019 elections, he was appointed as the Minister in The Presidency by President Cyril Ramaphosa. He was in charge of the Department of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation.
Between April and June 2020, Minister Jackson Mthembu was the acting Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies.
Who was Jackson Mthembu's wife?
Thembi Mthembu was ANC's Jackson Mthembu's wife. She passed away on 14th April 2022.
How old was Jackson Mthembu's wife? She was 51 years old at the time of her demise.
Jackson Mthembu's wife's death was announced by the family spokesperson, Artwel Mthembu. Thembi was a loving person who died at a Pretoria medical facility after being ill for a couple of weeks.
Source: Getty Images
How many children did Jackson Mthembu have?
The late minister had six children. His firstborn daughter passed away in 2019 in a suspected suicide. Nokhwezi is said to have died of suicide on 20th March 2019 at the politician's Pelican Park home in Cape Town.
Demise
The former minister passed away on 21st January 2021 at 62. He died due to COVID-19 complications.
He contracted COVID-19 on 11th January 2022 and was on medical care until his demise. President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed his demise to the public.
He was laid to rest in Emalahleni in Mpumalanga. Who replaced Mthembu? After the minister's death, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni became Jackson Mthembu's replacement in an acting capacity.
Trivia
- He had a first wife named Pinkie Selolo. Little is known about her in the public domain.
- He was at the forefront of South Africa's national effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic, but the virus caused his demise.
- He had wicked a sense of humour.
Jackson Mthembu was one of South Africa's most respected political leaders. He died after contracting COVID-19 and is fondly remembered by friends, family, and South African citizens.
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Source: Briefly News
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