Zolile Burns-Ncamashe | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs | |
| Assumed office 6 March 2023 Serving with Dickson Masemola (since June 2024) | |
| President | Cyril Ramaphosa |
| Minister | Thembi Nkadimeng Velenkosi Hlabisa |
| Preceded by | Obed Bapela |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| Assembly Member forEastern Cape | |
| Assumed office 19 February 2021 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1965-09-13)13 September 1965 (age 60) |
| Political party | African National Congress |
| Education | Lovedale College |
| Alma mater | University of Fort Hare |
| Nickname | Aa! Zweliyajika! |
PrinceZolile Burns-NcamasheAa! Zweliyajika! (born 13 September 1965) is a South African politician from theEastern Cape. He has served as theDeputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs since March 2023. A traditional leader of theamaRharhabe clan, he joined theNational Assembly as a representative of theAfrican National Congress in February 2021. As AmaGwali Prince his praise name (isikhahlelo) isZweliyijika.
Burns-Ncamashe was born on 13 September 1965 inAlice in the present-dayEastern Cape.[1] He was educated at Gwali Primary School andLovedale College.[1] His father,Sipho Burns-Ncamashe, was aXhosa traditional leader, theRharhabepraise poet, and later aCiskei politician.[1]
He has aBachelor of Arts in philosophy and psychology and anHonours in philosophy from theUniversity of Fort Hare.[2] In 2019 he completed a Master's degree in social science at Fort Hare.[3] As of 2021 he was a part-timePhD candidate at the same university, with doctoral research onland reform.[2]
Burns-Ncamashe was an advisor, counsellor and spokesperson to the Rharhabe royal family, serving under successive monarchs KingMaxhob'ayakhawuleza SandileAa! Zanesizwe! from 1991 until his death in 2011, then under QueenNoloyiso SandileAa! Noloyiso! from 2011 until her death in 2020, and under KingJonguxolo SandileAa! Vululwandle! from 2020 until he became DeputyMinister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs under PresidentCyril Ramaphosa in 2023.[2][4] He was a member of theEastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders between 1996 and 2017 and served as its deputy chairperson underNgangomhlaba Matanzima from 2002 to 2017.[1] In 1997, he was additionally sworn in to theNational House of Traditional Leaders.[2]
Burns-Ncamashe became politically active in the students' movement duringapartheid and became a member of the anti-apartheidCongress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa.[2] Decades later, he became involved in the post-apartheid national government during the first term of PresidentCyril Ramaphosa, initially as a traditional affairs advisor toZweli Mkhize, theMinister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.[1] Later he was the chairperson of theDepartment of Water and Sanitation's National Rapid Response Task Team, established by MinisterLindiwe Sisulu in 2019.[1][5]
In the2019 general election, Burns-Ncamashe stood for election to theSouth African Parliament as a candidate for the governingAfrican National Congress (ANC), but, ranked 22nd on the party list for theEastern Cape, he was not initially elected.[6] He was sworn in to theNational Assembly on 19 February 2021, filling the casual vacancy that arose afterTozama Mantashe's death fromCOVID-19 complications.[7] Later that month, he became a member of thePortfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, and he served as the head of the ANC's constituency office inButterworth, Eastern Cape.[6]
On 6 March 2023, in acabinet reshuffle, President Ramaphosa appointed Burns-Ncamashe asDeputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.[8] In that capacity he led the ministry's awareness campaign oninitiation deaths.[9] Inthe next general election, held in May 2024, he was re-elected to a full term in the National Assembly, and President Ramaphosa retained him in his post as deputy minister, thoughDickson Masemola was appointed to serve alongside him as second deputy minister.[10]
His wife is Nkosikazi Nozinzile Burns-Ncamashe.[11] They married in 2005 and have three children.[12]
In February 2024, he was ordained as a deacon in theEthiopian Episcopal Church.[13]