Meet Mzwanele Nyhontso: From PAC leader to Land Reform Minister in GNU
Mzwanele Nyhontso, the Pan Africanist Congress leader, serves in the Government of National Unity to promote the party’s Africanist agenda. He is a vocal advocate for land reform and socio-economic justice.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Mzwanele Nyhontso made headlines in 2024 when he was elected Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development.
- Mzwanele is also the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) president, and was elected in December 2018.
- In 2019, Mzwanele became the PAC's only Member of Parliament (MP) in the National Assembly.
Mzwanele Nyhontso's profile summary
| Full name | Mzwanele Nyhontso |
| Date of birth | September 8, 1973 |
| Age | 51 years old (as of May 2025) |
| Profession | Politician |
| Current residence | Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa |
| Children | Two confirmed sons (one alive, one deceased) |
| Social media | InstagramX (Twitter)Facebook |
How Mzwanele Nyhontso's political career evolved
Mzwanele Nyhontso became the Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development when he was elected by Cyril Ramaphosa on July 3, 2024, in a groundbreaking move made possible by the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The GNU's creation enabled him to become the first politician from an opposing party in the position.
Source: Original
Mzwanele's views on land expropriation in South Africa
In January 2025, Mzwanele's department implemented the Land Expropriation legislation, causing a nationwide stir. However, he informed the public that there has been no land expropriation yet, by stating:
'All land acquired for land restitution and redistribution reasons by the government is bought through a fair, transparent, and legal process.
He continued,
Buying land from previous owners, including white owners, is based on negotiated agreements. This approach is aligned to the protection of property rights and promotion of inclusive development and improved access to land.'
Source: Getty Images
Positions held within government
The PAC political party elected Mzwanele as their leader in December 2018 and re-elected him to the position in 2019. Mzwanele became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 2019 and is the only PAC member to hold this position. His government roles to date are:
- National Assembly: August 31, 2021, to May 28, 2024
- Ad Hoc Committee (non-voting member) to nominate a person for appointment as Public Protector: June 1, 2023, to October 19, 2023
- Committee for Section 194 Enquiry: June 21, 2021, to June 23, 2021
- Disciplinary Committee: September 11, 2019, to June 23, 2021
- Joint Standing Committee on Defence: July 10, 2019, to June 23, 2021
- Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy: July 10, 2019, to June 23, 2021
- Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment: July 10, 2019, to June 23, 2021
- Adhoc Committee on Section 194 Enquiry (non-voting member): April 7, 2021, to June 21, 2021
- Pan Africanist Congress of Azania president: 2018 to present
Source: Getty Images
What happened to Mzwanele Nyhontso's son?
On October 11, 2020, the PAC party announced on their Facebook page that Mzwanele's eldest son, Thando Nyhontso, had died at 27. He was found murdered on the streets of Butterworth, Eastern Cape.
Thando attended Walter Sisulu University in East London, where he was an IT student. The police opened a case of murder, but there have been no public updates as of 2025.
Mzwanele has another son who turned nine on November 21, 2024. He uploaded a photo of his son to Facebook as a birthday tribute, and captioned it: 'Mthikayise is 9 today... Happy birthday, boyzin.'
Minister of Land Reform's contact details
If you wish to get hold of him, Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso’s contact details are as follows:
- Contact number: 021 403 2911
- Email address: mnyhontso@parliament.gov.za
Social media
As of May 27, 2025, Mzwanele's Instagram page had 1,294 followers, and his Facebook page had 5.8K followers. Mzwanele's X (Twitter) page had 109 followers but has not been active since 2021.
Details on Mzwanele Nyhontso’s biography are limited, as the politician's career as a minister is in its infancy. However, you can keep up with Mzwanele's blossoming career via his social media.
READ ALSO: Who is Parks Tau? Key facts to know about SA's Trade Minister
Briefly.co.za wrote an article about another South African politician moving up in national politics, Parks Tau. Parks was named South Africa's Trade Minister in 2024, and is a former Member of the Executive Council.
A member of the African National Congress (ANC), Parks became an MP in 2019. However, he has decades worth of experience in politics.
Source: Briefly News
