Nomusa Dube-Ncube has taken over from Sihle Zikalala as the new premier of KwaZulu-Natal. She becomes the first female premier in the province since the dawn of democracy in 1994.
Dube-Ncube’s appointment was officially announced by the newly elected provincial leadership at a media briefing on Monday morning.
Before the weekend, three candidates had emerged as contenders for the post left open by Zikalala’s exit last week, but Dube-Ncube was the most noticeable. Other contenders were Amanda Bani and Mbali Fraser.
Dube-Ncube has an illuminating political career within the ranks of the ruling ANC and was South Africa’s ambassador to the Czech Republic.
Before the merger, which gave birth to what is now known as the eThekwini municipality, Dube-Ncube served as the mayor of the North Central council. She has also been the party’s chief whip in the provincial legislature and has served as MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs.
In a statement last week, the provincial leadership, elective during a robust elective conference two weeks ago, confirmed that it had received a resignation letter from Zikalala.
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