Page 23 - AWOL Magazine SA

Mrs Nonhlanhla Mildred Khoza
She was born in 1959 in Springvale, Ixopo in KwaZulu-Natal, southern
KwaZulu-Natal.Borntoareligious Nzimande family, she later got married to the Khozas.
The 1976 Soweto uprisings saw her and fellow pupils from the Standard 6 class in Springvale High Primary suspended for two weeks after organising events in solidarity with Soweto students. Her political consciousness grew stronger at high school, characterised by several expulsions.
Her natural leadership talent were recognised at Pholela Institution in Bulwer where she was appointed a head prefect for girls during her matriculation years.
Through exposure to the struggles waged by the South African liberation fighters, MEC Khoza worked tirelessly in the early 1980s mobilising her communities in furtherance of activities of the ANC.
After completing her matric under difficult circumstances, MEC Khoza registered for Primary Teachers
Diploma with Mpumalanga College of Education.
Once again, her studies were disrupted due to know Mpumalanga political unrest however she pursued her dream of being a teacher and obtaind a teaching Diploma at Unisa.
She taught in different schools including Ludliki Primary School and Sizisizwe High School in the Harry Region.
Being passionate about studies she futher obtained other qualifications include a Councillor Development Programme from Vantage, AGT and University of Zululand, Local Government Councillor Practice Certificate, Advanced Project Management from Damelin Management School, and the Advanced Governance Public Leadership Certificate from the University of Witwatersrand and PGD with the University of Johannesburg.
In 2000, the ANC deployed MEC Khoza as a Proportional Representative Councillor in Ixopo Local Municipality, now known as Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality.
Noting her dedication to the upliftment of communities in 2006, she was elected as a Ward 09 councillor in Ubuhlebezwe Municipality, where she also served as an Exco member, chairing Rural Development - Local Economic Development and Tourism Committee. She also served in the Finance Committee and
Sport Committee.
In 2008, MEC Khoza was
elected as the ANCWL Provincial Secretary and served for two
consecutive terms.
It meant she served I’m the ANCWL National Executive Committee as
well as
the ANC Provincial Executive Committee and had to serve in other ANC different communitees
Provincial
including the
List Committee, Provincial Development Committee, Provincial Interview Panel, Provincial Ethics Committee and Provincial Deployment Committee.
She was elected as the ANCWL Provincial Chairperson in 2017, a term ended in 2022. She served as ANC Provincial Working Committee Members until the last conference in 2022.
In the recent 9th ANC Provincial Elective Conference, MEC Khoza was elected ANC Provincial Executive Committee Member.
In 2014, the ANC deployed Mrs Khoza to the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature, where she served as a Whip as well as the Chairperson of Multi-Party Women’s Caucus.
In 2016, she was nominated as a Chairperson of the Premier Portfolio Committee and served in the Legislature Disciplinary Committee.
In 2019, she was deployed as MEC for Social Development in KwaZulu-Natal. During the reshuffling in 2022, MEC Khoza returned the same portfolio as MEC for Social Development. Her key priorities include the implementation of the National Development Plan, the KZN Provincial Growth Development Strategy and the Provincial Growth Development Plan. The Department she is leading has put as priority the transformation of developmental social welfare, training youth and women to cooperative to fight poverty, fight substance abuse, illicit drugs abuse and trafficking, social protection of all vulnerable groups, comprehensive social security, sustainable community development interventions and integrated social protection system.
AWLO Magazine, September 2022
/21/