Zukiswa Rantho (born in Jansenville, Eastern Cape) is a South African politician and former teacher. She is a member of the political party African Nation Congress abbreviated as ANC.
Many South Africans know Zukiswa Rantho as the chairperson of Parliament’s Eskom Inquiry. Before her choosing politics as her profession, she taught.
Leaving teaching for politics was a natural occurrence for her. She started to climb so fast from sitting on branches to holding a provincial post. In 2009, Zukiswa became an MP after being elected to the post.
Profile
| Name | Daphne Zukiswa Rantho |
| Title | Ms |
| Place of birth | Jansenville, Eastern Cape |
| Nationality | South African |
| Gender | Female |
| Marital status | Married |
| Country | South Africa |
| Profession | Politician, former teacher |
| Party | ANC |
Background
The teacher turned politician was born in Jansenville, Eastern Cape, South Africa. In her words, the town is so small that her parents and family could be traced with little effort. She was born into the Kula family.
Her political career dates back to her days as a pupil in 1976, at the time political developments often disrupted time to teach. She became a member of a Jansenville Youth (JAYCO) at the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League.
Qualifications
She had her matriculation at the Nathaniel Pamla High School, Bantu State Ciskei. In the 80s, she developed an interest in the student movement at the time she was almost through with her diploma in teaching.
Career and Memberships
For 5 years, Zukiswa served as Whip at Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises (National Assembly Committees. She occupied the post on 20 June 2014 and handed the position over on 7 May 2019.
She was the chairperson of the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises. She first became an MP in the Fourth Parliament for five years (2009-2014).
Later, she became a delegate to the National Council of Provinces and was part of the African National Congress’s parliamentary caucus.
In May 2014, she became a member of the National Assembly Parliament and left on 7 May 2019.
For five years, she was Constituency Contact at ANC Constituency Office (725): Lady Grey (Constituency Office). She held the post from May 2014 – May 2019.
Zukiswa was a member of Ethics and Members’ Interests (Joint Committees) and left the membership in May 2019.
On 16 May 2014, she became member-elect at National Assembly (Parliament) and held the position for five days. She left the post on 21 May 2014.
On 22 April 2014, she was the 9th Candidate at ANC Regional Eastern Cape Election List 2014. She made it on the Election list until 7 May 2014.
She was a member of the Constitutional Review Committee (Joint Committees) and the Ad Hoc Committee on Protection of State Information Bill (NCOP) (Ad Hoc Committees).
She was also a member at Ethics and Members’ Interests (Joint Committees); Constituency Contact at ANC Constituency Office (725): Lady Grey (Constituency Office); member at Ethics and Members’ Interest (Joint Committees).
On 7 May 2009, she became Delegate at the National Council Province (Parliament).
Zukiswa also served under the position of Committee Whip at the Select Committee on Education and Recreation (NCOP Committees) and was a member of the Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (NCOP Committees).
She held membership positions at Select Committee on Women, Children, and People with Disabilities (NCOP Committees); Select Committee on Economic Development (NCOP Committees); member at Select Committee on Petitions and Private Members Legislative Proposals (NCOP Committees).
She also served as the Provincial Whip at the National Council of Provinces (Parliament). Zukiswa was also a member of Select Committee on Social Services (NCOP Committees).
Threats
Ms. Zukiswa on Tuesday, February 3, 2021, detailed that her family was facing threats. She made his known during the parliamentary inquiry into malfeasance at Eskom.
Since the 2019 national & provincial election, she has not returned as African National Congress (ANC) MP. She told the commission of inquiry into state capture that her family faced threats and intimidation during the inquiry, which was concluded in 2018. According to her husband and son were confronted.
”We were living in fear but when I informed the National Assembly Speaker (Baleka Mbete), there was a follow-up by security people,” Ms. Rantho said. She further said that no real security was assigned to her, people were on afar looking at her house.
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