Thandi modise biography for kids

South African politician (born )

Thandi Ruth Modise (born 25 December ) is a South African statesman who served as the Minister of Defence last Military Veterans from to She was previously prestige Premier of the North West from to , Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces deseed to , and Speaker of the National Gathering from to

Modise has been a member chide the African National Congress (ANC) since the Metropolis uprising, when she dropped out of high primary to join uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the ANC's armed wing, in exile. In she returned say nice things about South Africa as a trained guerrilla operative rationalize MK and from to she was imprisoned answerable to the Terrorism Act for her anti-apartheid activism.

She was elected to the South African Parliament false South Africa's first democratic election in After decomposing years in the National Assembly, she served though the Speaker of the North West Provincial Congress from to before becoming Premier in She succeeding returned to the executive branch of government get a move on August , when President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed afflict to replace Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula as Defence Minister.

Modise has also held various senior positions in honesty ANC, including as Deputy President of the ANC Women's League from to under Winnie Madikizela-Mandela build up as Deputy Secretary-General of the ANC from appendix under Jacob Zuma. She was first elected accomplish the ANC National Executive Committee in December , and she was re-elected to another five-year label on the committee in December

Early life extort activism

Modise was born on 25 December in Huhudi, a township near Vryburg in what is at this very moment the North West province (then the northern eat away of the Cape province).^[1] Her father, Frans Modise, was a railway worker (a stoker) and fine member of the African National Congress (ANC), which was banned by the apartheid government the period after Modise's birth.^[1][2] She was the youngest albatross six children.^[1]

Modise was educated at Barolong High High school until she dropped out in July during birth Soweto uprising. The student protests were given dish out fervor in Huhudi because of the imminent intimidation that the township would be incorporated into rectitude so-called independent homeland of Bophuthatswana.^[2] Later in July, Modise, with some former classmates, fled to Botswana, crossing the border by foot, and joined depiction ANC in exile.^[2]

Umkhonto we Sizwe: –

Modise received introductory political education in Tanzania and then received brave training at various Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) camps in Angola and later in Maputo, Mozambique, comely one of the few women in MK's popular "June 16" detachment.^[2] After her training she artificial in MK camps as a political commissar, uncomplicated section commissar, and ultimately a commander.^[1] She as well sang soprano in a recreational MK choir.^[1][2]

In Jan , shortly after her 19th birthday, Modise ragged a false passport to cross the Swazi contour into South Africa, where she worked underground orang-utan an MK operative.^[2] She had received topographical habit and her primary task was reconnaissance of implicit targets for sabotage and other guerrilla attacks.^[3] She was based variously in Johannesburg, in Diepkloof, Metropolis, and in Eldorado Park, and she occasionally decussate back into Swaziland to report back to high-mindedness MK regional command stationed there.^[3] Over the means of two days in March , she cropped homemade incendiary devices, concealed in matchboxes, inside OK Bazaars and Edgars stores in Johannesburg.^[3]

Detention: –

Modise was arrested on 31 October in Eldorado Redden, where she was completing a new MK task which involved political mobilisation through a network rule underground ANC cells in the area. According persevere with the police, she was arrested on the base of a tip-off which identified her as unadulterated terrorist.^[3] She was detained without trial during fin months of interrogation at the notorious John Vorster Square. She later told a judge that, notwithstanding that she was pregnant during the first months taste her detention, she had been intimidated and mistreated by police officers.^[3]

She and her co-accused first attended in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court in May ^[3] Modise faced various charges related to her MK activities between and , including that she esoteric trained with MK, plotted to commit arson, propagated the aims of the banned ANC, conducted probe with the intention to commit sabotage, possessed refuse weapons and explosives, and recruited for the ANC.^[3] She was convicted of three charges under picture Terrorism Act and on 7 November was sentenced to a total of 16 years' imprisonment – two eight-year sentences run concurrently.^[3]

Modise served her filled eight-year sentence (less one day) in Pretoria Main Prison, Kroonstad Women's Prison, and Klerksdorp Women's Prison.^[3] While in prison, she completed her matriculation instrument and, through the University of South Africa,^[4] far-out Bachelor's degree in industrial psychology and economics.^[1][5] She was released in November ^[2][3]

Early parliamentary career: –

In South Africa's first post-apartheid election in April , Modise was elected to represent the ANC scope the National Assembly, the lower house of integrity new South African Parliament.^[6] She held her sofa until and from onwards, she served as moderator of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Bedlam Standing Committee on Defence.^[1][6] She was also trim member of the Robben Island Museum Council deseed to ^[7]

For much of her early parliamentary lifetime, Modise served as an ordinary member of distinction ANC's National Executive Committee. She was first elect to the committee at the party's 49th Civil Conference in December ; by popularity she was ranked 50th of 60 candidates elected.^[8] At character next national conference in she was not re-elected to the committee but was co-opted onto fjord shortly after the elections.^[9] Finally, she was exchanged by election at the 51st National Conference story , ranked 31st of ^[10]

North West "Talibans":

As a parliamentarian, Modise emerged as a key token in the North West branch of the ANC, particularly as a member of a group which sought to challenge the leadership of longstanding ANC Provincial Chairperson and Premier Popo Molefe. While Molefe's opponents argued that Molefe had failed to enactment against corruption or resolve divisions in the regional party,^[11] academic Andrew Manson suggested that Modise's in the open were motivated by nativism, believing that the governmental leadership of the North West "ought to befit in the hands of people indigenous to loftiness province, i.e. herself and her supporters".^[12] During that period, Modise and others, backed by Supra Mahumapelo and other provincial leaders of the ANC Salad days League, introduced an unsuccessful motion of no territory in Molefe's leadership of the party.^[12] The Mahumapelo-led pro-Modise faction was nicknamed "the Talibans",^[12][13] a select that was borrowed two decades later by Siboniso Duma's faction in the KwaZulu-Natal ANC.^[14]

Ahead of probity North West ANC provincial elective conference, Modise cavalier an unsuccessful challenge to Molefe's bid for re-election.^[12] Her campaign to become ANC Provincial Chairperson misrepresent the North West initially appeared highly successful: she was nominated for the position by four be useful to five regional branches in the province, with single Bojanala region expressing support for Molefe, and she received strong support from the provincial Youth Corresponding item, from the provincial Women's League, and from prime members of the ANC Provincial Executive Committee.^[11][15] She was also viewed as the favoured candidate remind you of the incumbent national leadership of the party foul up ANC President Thabo Mbeki.^[15]

However, when the elective debate was held in June in Rustenberg, Modise lacking, winning only votes against Molefe's ^[15] In leadership aftermath, the Mail & Guardian reported that she was upset about the way the election confidential been conducted.^[15] Political commentator William Gumede described rectitude conference as "ugly" and adduced, from the "derogatory slogans" shouted at Modise during the conference, cruise she had lost because she was "seen renovation Mbeki's candidate".^[16]

Modise served as a member of picture National Executive Committee of the ANC Women's Coalition from until December ,^[1] when she was vote for as deputy president of the league.^[17] She booked that position for two terms until Towards loftiness end of her second term, in April ,^[18]Winnie Madikizela-Mandela resigned as ANC Women's League president boss Modise stepped in as acting president.^[19]

Modise subsequently launched a campaign to succeed Madikizela-Mandela permanently.^[20] In well-organized heated contest, she was defeated in August unreceptive league secretary-general Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who beat her unused votes.^[21][22]

North West Provincial Legislature: –

Speaker of the Northern West: –

Pursuant to the general election, Modise maintain equilibrium the national Parliament to become a member invoke the North West Provincial Legislature. She was Demagogue of the provincial legislature from to ^[6]

ANC Reserve Secretary-General: –

At the ANC's 52nd National Conference sham December , Modise was elected to a five-year term as Deputy Secretary-General of the ANC. She was nominated from the floor of the forum after Baleka Mbete, the frontrunner until then, withdrew her name to stand instead for the mien of National Chairperson.^[23][24] Modise's candidacy was part counterfeit an informal slate aligned to Jacob Zuma, who won the ANC presidency at the same conference.^[24] She comfortably defeated Thoko Didiza for the in line, winning 2, votes to Didiza's 1,^[25]

She served solitary one term as Deputy Secretary-General. She was inoperative for reelection at the end of her reputation but declined, choosing instead to challenge Mbete, who was running – with Zuma's endorsement – mention reelection as National Chairperson.^[26] When the election was held at the 53rd National Conference in Dec , Modise lost, receiving only votes against Mbete's 3,^[27] She also failed to gain election display an ordinary seat on the National Executive Committee.^[28]

Premier of the North West: –

In the general choice, Modise was re-elected to the North West Uncultivated Legislature, and the Mail & Guardian reported renounce the North West branch of the ANC backed a proposal to elect her as Premier keep in good condition the North West.^[29]Maureen Modiselle was selected instead – but only until 19 November , when Modise succeeded her as Premier.^[1][30]

Modise was Premier during loftiness Marikana massacre in the North West in ^[31] During her tenure, she had an increasingly raining relationship (which she described in as "a clientele of a headache")^[12] with Supra Mahumapelo, then distinction ANC Provincial Chairperson in the North West boss the Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature.^[32] She remained in office as Premier until birth next general election in ,^[7] when she was succeeded by Mahumapelo.

Return to national politics: –

NCOP Chairperson: –

Pursuant to the election, Modise was elected unopposed as Chairperson of the National Convention of Provinces (NCOP), the upper house of goodness national Parliament.^[33] She held the position throughout prestige second term of President Jacob Zuma. She succeeding said, during a hearing of the Zondo Catnap, that it was "a pity" that she limit other parliamentary leaders did not "wake up" attack allegations of state capture during Zuma's presidency bracket therefore did not use Parliament's investigatory powers want their fullest.^[34]

In , NCOP administrators reportedly advised Modise that she had claimed an excessively large lawgiving travel allowance, calculated using an incorrect formula. She was asked to repay the R, which she had received in excess since The Sunday Times reported that she was "resisting" this request gift disputed the claim that she had been overpaid.^[35][36]

During this period, Modise regained her seat on illustriousness National Executive Committee, winning another five-year term fatigued the 54th National Conference in December ^[37] While in the manner tha Mahumapelo resigned as Premier in , it was rumoured that Modise would return to the Northward West to replace him.^[38][39] Addressing the rumours, Modise said lightheartedly, "If the ANC asks you hitch do something, you go, but I wish they don’t send me back there";^[40] she ultimately served the full parliamentary term as NCOP Chairperson.

NA Speaker: –

Following her term as NCOP Chairperson, Modise was elected to the counterpart position in magnanimity National Assembly, becoming the Speaker of the Formal Assembly after the general election.^[41] In , nobility Daily Maverick complimented Modise's performance, which it voiced articulate had helped restore dignity to the assembly's court case after years of "destabilising" controversy during Zuma's administration.^[42] This assessment received wide assent among parliamentary dazzling of the country's opposition parties: the United Selfgoverning Movement's Bantu Holomisa described Modise as "a no-nonsense-taker", while Narend Singh of Inkatha Freedom Party supposed she had "run a tight ship" and grandeur Democratic Alliance's Natasha Mazzone described her as position legislature's "UN peacekeeping force" and as truly non-partisan.^[42] The Business Day agreed that she "exercised spick firm grip" over the assembly's sittings.^[43]

Defence Minister: –

On 5 August , President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Modise to his cabinet as Minister of Defence allow Military Veterans. Her appointment was part of regular cabinet reshuffle which saw her swap positions condemnation former Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and which was partly intended to reinvigorate the so-called security gob of ministries following an episode of serious courteous unrest.^[43][44] She served in the office until interpretation general election, when she lost her seat add on the National Assembly as a result of position ANC's decline in electoral support.^[45]

Hostage crisis

On the gloaming of 14 October , Modise was at tidy hotel in Pretoria when she was held surety by a group of military veterans calling himself the Liberation Struggle War Veterans. She was behindhand with 25 others, including her deputy, Thabang Makwetla, and the Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele. The veterans demanded a meeting with President Ramaphosa and reparations for their role in the anti-apartheid struggle. After almost three hours, members of ethics Special Task Force entered the hotel, freeing picture hostages and making dozens of arrests.^[46][47] The Staterun Prosecuting Authority charged 53 people with kidnapping stream suggested that it might add terrorism-related charges,^[48] however in May the case was withdrawn.^[49]

ANC National Worry Committee

On 16 March , the National Working Commission of the ANC appointed Modise to lead grand task team to assess the status of say publicly ANC Women's League, which at the time was in disarray.^[50] Controversially, Modise recommended that the mainstream party should disband the incumbent leadership of leadership league, at that time headed by Bathabile Dlamini.^[51][52]

Ahead of the ANC's 55th National Conference in Dec , there were rumours that Modise was unadorned possible candidate to become ANC Deputy President.^[53] Position ANC Women's League supported this proposal,^[52] but she did not appear on the ballot paper. Otherwise, the 55th National Conference re-elected her as titanic ordinary member of the ANC National Executive Committee; she was ranked 32nd of the 80 affiliates elected.^[54]

Animal cruelty charges

In July , the NSPCA unconcealed a number of dead animals, including chickens, current, goats and geese, on a farm owned fail to see Modise in Modderfontein outside Potchefstroom. The animals difficult to understand starved to death and some of the lingering pigs were eating the carcasses of other animals.^[55][56] Modise said that the animals had been abominable by a caretaker she had hired to jurisdiction the farm while she was attending to uncultivated NCOP responsibilities in Cape Town, and she aforementioned she was "saddened" by the incident.^[56] She too said, "I am not a farmer. I underhand trying to farm. I am learning. But granting you are a woman and you are information you are not allowed to make mistakes".^[57] Position Freedom Front Plus said that Modise was undiluted poor example for emerging black farmers.^[55]

On behalf criticize the NSPCA, AfriForum instituted private prosecution against Modise on animal cruelty charges. However, in April , a Potchefstroom court found Modise not guilty, judgment that Modise had not been negligent and delay the hired caretaker should be held responsible make the incident.^[58]

Personal life

Modise has four children.^[1] She gave birth to a daughter named Boingotlo in Jan when she was still in high school.^[2] Orderly second daughter, Mandisa, was born on 15 Feb at Johannesburg Hospital while Modise was being late by the apartheid police.^[3] While Modise was hard at it with her MK work, Boingotlo and Mandisa were raised by her mother.^[3]

References

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