Meet Malusi Gigaba: from ANC Youth League president to cabinet minister

Meet Malusi Gigaba: from ANC Youth League president to cabinet minister

Malusi Gigaba is a prominent South African politician whose career in the public service spans decades. He is a member of the ANC's National Executive Committee and previously held various cabinet positions.

Malusi Gigaba is a member of the National Assembly of South Africa
Malusi Gigaba's political career reflects a complex legacy of significant achievements and controversies. Photo: @Malusi Nkanyezi Gigaba on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: Facebook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • Gigaba served in different positions in the cabinet during three presidential regimes.
  • He has been married and divorced twice.
  • Malusi is a member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress.

Malusi Gigaba's bio and profile summary

Full nameKnowledge Malusi Nkanyezi Gigaba
Gender Male
Date of birthAugust 30, 1971
Age53 years old (as of April 2025)
Place of birthEshowe, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
Nationality South African
EthnicityZulu
FatherReverend Jabulani Gigaba
MotherNomthandazo Gigaba
Relationship status Divorced
Ex-partnerNomachule Mngoma
EducationMathonsi Primary School, Vryheid State High School, Ethalana High School and the University of Durban-Westville
Profession Politician
Social mediaInstagramFacebook

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Malusi Gigaba: age and early life

Knowledge Malusi Nkanyezi Gigaba, age 53 as of April 2025, was born on August 30, 1971. He grew up alongside his three sisters and a brother.

Malusi Gigaba at the State Capture Commission
Malusi Gigaba at the State Capture Commission on June 18, 2021, in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by Sharon Seretlo
Source: Getty Images

Where is Malusi Gigaba originally from?

Gigaba hails from Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. His parents are Reverend Jabulani Gigaba and Nomthandazo Gigaba.

Malusi Gigaba's education background

The former Home Affairs Minister attended Mathonsi Primary School in Mandeni before enrolling at Vryheid State High School. He later attained his matric at Ethalana High School.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Malusi graduated from the University of Durban-Westville in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in education. Gigaba later attained his master's in social policy at the same institution in 1994.

Malusi Gigaba's first wife and children

The South African politician's first wife is Thabong Nxumalo. The couple ended their marriage in 2010, and they had several children.

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In 2014, he married Nomachule "Norma" Mngoma. However, their union was controversial, including a public altercation between Mngoma and Malusi's mistress, Buhle Mkhize. They eventually ended their marriage in 2021.

Norma Gigaba inside the Pretoria Magistrate's Court
Norma Gigaba inside the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on September 14, 2020, in Pretoria, South Africa. Photo by Phill Magakoe
Source: Getty Images

What is Malusi Gigaba doing now?

Malusi Gigaba is a member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress and a Member of Parliament for the ANC. He has been involved in discussions about the Government of National Unity (GNU).

He usually advocates for political maturity among parties to ensure their success in addressing national challenges such as poverty and economic growth. Gigaba is the co-chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence in the National Assembly.

Malusi Gigaba's previous offices

Malusi Gigaba has held several key positions in the South African government. Here is an overview of some of his previous positions:

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  • Minister of Home Affairs: He served twice, from May 25, 2014, to March 31, 2017, under President Jacob Zuma and again from February 27, 2018 to November 13, 2018.
  • Minister of Finance: He held this position from March 31, 2017, to February 27, 2018, under President Cyril Ramaphosa.
  • Minister of Public Enterprises: Gigaba served in this role from November 1, 2010, to May 25, 2014, and was responsible for government infrastructure programs.
  • Deputy Minister of Home Affairs: Malusi served in this position from April 29, 2004, to October 2010.
Malusi Gigaba at the South African government Communication's office
Malusi Gigaba at the South African government Communication's office on April 1, 2017, in Pretoria, South Africa. Photo by Gianluigi Guercia
Source: Getty Images

What happened to Malusi Gigaba's house?

Gigaba's house had been involved in a series of scandals. For instance, in 2020, his second wife, Nomachule Mngoma, accused him of bringing bundles of money into the house after visits to the Guptas.

She revealed this during an interview with eNCA. Nomachule said,

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Every time when we were there he used to carry the bag and they will give him money and when we get home he used to take the money out and put it in the safe.

Trivia

  • During his early political career, Gigaba was actively involved in youth organizations such as COSAS, SAYCO, SASCO, and YCS.
  • He served three consecutive terms as President of the African National Congress Youth League.
  • Gigaba granted South African citizenship to members of the Gupta family under questionable circumstances in 2015.
  • Gigaba was accused of interfering in state-owned enterprises and misusing public funds during the state capture inquiry.
  • As Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, he supported legislation facilitating legal immigration from Zimbabwe.
  • He resigned as Minister of Home Affairs in November 2018 following mounting political pressure and controversies.

Malusi Gigaba's political career reflects a complex legacy of significant achievements and controversies. As a prominent figure in South African politics, he held influential positions under various presidents, including the Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Finance, and Minister of Public Enterprises.

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Source: Briefly News

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Bennett Yates (Lifestyle writer) Bennett Yates is a content creator with over six years of working experience in journalism and copywriting. He graduated from the University of Nairobi (2017) with a Bachelor's in Information Technology. In 2023, Bennett finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. He has worked for Briefly.co.za for six years now. He specializes in topics like technology, entertainment, travel, lifestyle and sports. You can reach him via email at bennetyates@gmail.com.