Mmabatho Tembe

Tembe was born and grew up in Durban. She matriculated from Queensburgh Girls' High School. Tembe graduated from the University of KwaZulu-Natal with a degree in Social Sciences majoring in Psychology and Anthropology before she graduated with an Honours degree in Counseling Psychology.[1] She has also earned a certificate in project management from the University of Cape Town.[1]

Tembe worked as a research assistant to the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Durban University of Technology. She then became an Academic Development Advisor at the Health Sciences Department of the university.[1]

Tembe joined the Democratic Alliance branch in Ward 33 in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality in 2014. She was appointed secretary of the party's Central Durban constituency.[1]

Tembe was elected a DA councillor in the eThekwini municipality in 2016. During her tenure as a councillor, she served on the economic development committee, before moving to the community safety committee where she was whip for two terms.[1]

On 7 December 2021, Tembe was sworn in as a DA Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature. She filled the casual vacancy that arose after the resignation of Chris Pappas who was elected mayor of the uMngeni Local Municipality.[1]

During a special sitting of the legislature held on 10 August 2022 to elect a new Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, the DA caucus nominated Tembe to contest the election against the ANC's candidate Nomusa Dube-Ncube. Dube-Ncube defeated Tembe by a margin of 45 to 11 votes.[2][3]

• Hon. M Tembe at KwaZulu-Natal Legislature