Who is Mandla Ndlovu? Get to know the Premier of Mpumalanga
Mandla Ndlovu is a prominent South African politician who is the current Premier of Mpumalanga. He has been outspoken regarding his plans to improve the lives of South Africans. What is on Mandla's agenda, and how did he rise through the ANC ranks?
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Mandla Ndlovu’s political career began in 2015, and he was formerly an educator before turning to politics.
- Mandla has been the current Premier of Mpumalanga since June 2024.
- The political figure keeps details of his personal life out of the public eye, despite being outspoken about his political goals.
Mandla Ndlovu's profile summary
| Full name | Mandla Padney Ndlovu |
| Date of birth | September 21, 1969 |
| Current residence | Mpumalanga, South Africa |
| Current nationality | South African |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Profession | Politician, Premier of Mpumalanga |
| Social media profiles | FacebookX (Twitter) |
Who is Mandla Ndlovu in Mpumalanga?
The ANC politician is best known as being the current Premier of Mpumalanga. Mandla is a part of the Tsonga tribe and used to be an ANC councillor. He was also on the mayoral committee (MMC) at the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality.
Source: Original
Political background
The politician was made ANC provincial secretary in December 2015. In early 2018, Mandla was selected to serve as acting ANC provincial chairperson after David Mabuza left to become the national ANC deputy president. Mandla held the role until the next provincial elective conference.
On April 2, 2022, the politician was chosen as the ANC's provincial chairperson for a full term. Mandla beat former provincial secretary Lucky Ndinisa for the respected position, gaining 400 votes against his opponent's 278 votes.
Mandla was the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs from May 2022 until October 2022. Between October 2022 and June 2024, he was the Mpumalanga's Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Public Works, Roads and Transport, which Dean Macpherson is currently the minister of. Mandla's former titles are:
- Member of the Executive Committee: Public Works, Roads and Transport
- Member of Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature (Provincial Legislature)
- Member of the Executive Committee: COGTA
Source: UGC
Career as the Premier of Mpumalanga
Mandla was chosen as the Premier of Mpumalanga on June 14, 2024, and on June 18, 2024, he was sworn in for the role. He was chosen ahead of Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane as the new chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) by the Government of National Unity (GNU).
Political promises and concerns
Mandla has been vocal about the challenges his province, and South Africa, face. One of Mandla's major concerns is provincial unemployment, and was quoted by Business Live following being sworn into the position as saying:
'With our provincial unemployment rate standing so high, we cannot rest or spare ourselves. What will bind us together is equal sharing of our wealth as enshrined in the Freedom Charter, prosperity and economic emancipation.'
Mandla also publicly expressed his plans to make a functional state that can give citizens basic services, which is at the forefront of his priorities.
Source: Getty Images
Of his plans, Mandla said:
'For the first 100 days in office I will visit all municipalities, get a better understanding of their challenges and assist them without interfering. However, I will not hesitate to intervene within the prescripts of the law should it become clear our people are not getting the services they deserve.'
Mandla Ndlovu’s age
Mandla was born on September 21, 1969. He is 55 at the time of writing in March 2025.
Where was Mandla Ndlovu born?
He hails from Bushbuckridge, the main town in Bushbuckridge Local Municipality, Ehlanzeni District, Mpumalanga. Mandla also currently resides in Mpumalanga.
Mandla Ndlovu’s family
The political figure keeps his personal life out of the limelight and there is no information regarding any children. We do not know the name of Mandla Ndlovu’s wife, but the Mpumalanga branch of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) made a status on X aiming at him and her.
The status, written to quote party leader Julius Malema, reads:
'MALEMA: Comrades, let’s make sure that Mandla Ndlovu and his wife are stopped from stealing the resources of Mpumalanga.'
Source: UGC
Mandla Ndlovu’s education qualifications
During an interview with News24 in May 2022, Mandla jokingly stated he studied Communications and would not mind working at News24. Mandla was a teacher before he turned to politics.
Mandla Ndlovu’s salary
Once Mandla became a member of the provincial legislature, his then-salary was estimated at R1.1 million annually. This value is per the Government Remuneration Packages for April 2021 to March 2022.
In June 2024, IOL wrote an article detailing salary increases for public servants, following the proclamation notice regarding a 2.5% increase. Taking effect retroactively from April 2024, Premiers from all national political parties were projected to earn R2,470,010.00 annually following the increase.
Mandla Ndlovu’s contact details
You can contact Mandla's office via his professional contact details:
- Phone: 013 766 6842
- Email: phalaj@mpg.gov.za
Social media profiles
Keep up with the politician on X (Twitter), with 4,897 followers as of March 5, 2025. Mandla's public Facebook page has 23K followers as of March 5, 2025.
Mandla Ndlovu's name has been front and centre since he was made the Premier of Mpumalanga in June 2024. However, his political experience shows a determined, dedicated figure with a passion for improving the lives of citizens in his province and the rest of the country.
READ ALSO: Who was Arabella Kennedy? The untold story of JFK’s daughter
Briefly.co.za wrote about a prominent political family, the Kennedys. John Fitzgerald Kennedy is the most well-known Kennedy, as the 35th president of the United States.
However, who was Arabella Kennedy? Read on for the untold story of JFK’s daughter.
Source: Briefly News
