South Africa welcomed a new Minister of Tourism on May 29, when the country’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced his new Cabinet.

Mmamoloko ‘Nkhensani’ Kubayi-Ngubane has served in the public sector for a number of years, bringing diverse experience and knowledge to inject into the Tourism Ministry.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vista University in the Free State, which she achieved in 2000, and a Project Management Diploma from Damelin, achieved in 2002.

Her political background began at Vista University, where she acted as South African Students Congress (Sasco) branch Chairperson, and then Regional Executive Member of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) in the Greater Johannesburg region. She subsequently became Deputy Provincial Secretary of the ANCYL in Gauteng province.

She served as Minister of Energy from March 31 to October 16, 2017; Minister of Science and Technology from 2018 to 2019; and was also Minister of Communications from October 17, 2017, to February 26, 2018.

Kubayi-Ngubane further served as the Whip of the Parliamentary Committee on Basic and Higher Education and Training, was on the Standing Committee on Appropriations, and was Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Telecommunications and Postal Services.

Voices across the tourism industry welcome the new Minister, and look forward to working with her to achieve the tourism potential of South Africa.