Mxolisa Sokatsha

Mxolisa Simon Sokatsha (7 January 1965 – 25 March 2022) was a South African accountant, educator and politician. A member of the African National Congress, he was a Member of the Executive Council in the Northern Cape from 2009 to 2019 and a Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature from 2003 to 2019. In 2019 he was elected to the South African National Assembly.

Mxolisa Sokatsha
Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
In office
22 May 2019 – 25 March 2022
Northern Cape MEC for Roads and Public Works
In office
1 June 2017 – 7 May 2019
PremierSylvia Lucas
Preceded byBongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba
Succeeded byAbraham Vosloo
In office
1 March 2016 – 10 May 2017
PremierSylvia Lucas
Preceded byDawid Rooi
Succeeded byBongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba
Northern Cape MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture
In office
10 May 2017 – 1 June 2017
PremierSylvia Lucas
Preceded byBongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba
Succeeded byBongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba
Northern Cape MEC for Social Development
In office
30 May 2014 – 1 March 2016
PremierSylvia Lucas
Preceded byTiny Chotelo
Succeeded byGift van Staden
Northern Cape MEC for Health
In office
12 May 2009 – 30 May 2014
PremierSylvia Lucas
Hazel Jenkins
Succeeded byMac Jack
Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature
In office
2003–2019
Personal details
Born
Mxolisa Simon Sokatsha

7 January 1965
Richmond, Cape Province, South Africa
Died25 March 2022(2022-03-25) (aged 57)
Belmont, Northern Cape, South Africa
Political partyAfrican National Congress
Children3

Early life and career

Mxolisa Simon Sokatsha was born on 7 January 1965 in the town of Richmond, then part of South Africa's Cape Province.[1] He attended high school in Dimbaza, northwest of King William's Town. He obtained a teacher's diploma in 1990. Sokatsha worked as a teacher in Graaff-Reinet and Richmond in the early-1990s.[1]

Political career

During the 1980s, Sokatsha was involved in the establishment of the Midlands and Karoo Youth Congress.[1] He served as the chairperson of the South African Students Congress and SANTISCO. He was the site chairperson of the South African Democratic Trade Union in Graaff-Reinet and Richmond. Sokatsha served as the first post-apartheid mayor of Richmond between 1994 and 1996.[1] He was also the chairperson of the ANC's Pixley ka Seme region for three terms. From 1997 to 1999, he was an accountant of the Pixley ka Seme District Municipality.[1]

Provincial government

In 2003, Sokatsha was sworn in as a Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature.[1] He was appointed chairperson of the legislature's education committee, a post held until after the 2004 general election, when he was named chief whip of the ANC caucus.[1]

After the 2009 general election, premier Hazel Jenkins appointed him Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Health. He was sworn in on 12 May 2009.[2] Sylvia Lucas was elected premier in June 2013, and she retained him in his post.[3] Lucas appointed him MEC for Social Development on 30 May 2014, following the 2014 general election. He succeeded Tiny Chotelo, while Mac Jack succeeded him as MEC for Health.[4] On 1 March 2016, Lucas reshuffled her executive, in which she appointed Sokatsha to the Roads and Public Works portfolio, succeeding Dawid Rooi. Gift van Staden became the new MEC for Social Development.[5][6] On 10 May 2017 Lucas reshuffled her executive again and named him the MEC for Arts, Sports and Culture, succeeding Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba.[7] He briefly held the position until 1 June, when Lucas rescinded her decision, returning him to the Roads and Public Works portfolio.[8]

Sokatsha was nominated to the National Assembly of South Africa following the 2019 general election and took office as an MP on 22 May 2019.[9] He served on the Portfolio Committee on Health.[10]

Death

Sokatsha died in a car accident, 20km outside Belmont in the Northern Cape on the N12 on 25 March 2022.[11] Northern Cape police have opened a culpable homicide case.[12]

References
  1. "MEC Mxolisi Sokatsha". Northern Cape Province. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  2. Tshivhidzo, Edwin (11 March 2013). "Northern Cape MECs announced". South African Government News Agency. Kimberley. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  3. Mokoena, Michael (5 June 2013). "No surprises in N Cape reshuffle". Independent Online. Kimberley. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  4. "Premier Sylvia Lucas' formal announcement of Members of the Northern Cape Provincial Executive Council, Provincial Legislature, Kimberley". Government of South Africa. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  5. Mere, Boipelo (2 March 2016). "NC council reshuffled". News24. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  6. Wildenboer, Norma (1 March 2016). "No surprises in reshuffle". Diamond Fields Advertiser. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  7. Mthukwane, Ntozakhe (10 May 2017). "Urgent reshuffle in Northern Cape cabinet". News24. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  8. Makhafola, Getrude (1 June 2017). "Sylvia Lucas to rescind cabinet reshuffle decision". Independent Online. Johannesburg. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  9. "SEE: These are the people who will represent you in Parliament, provincial legislatures". News24. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  10. "Portfolio Committee on Health". Parliament of South Africa. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  11. "ANC and Parliament mourn passing of MP Mxolisi Sokatsha". The Citizen. 26 March 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  12. "ANC MP Mxolisi Sokatsha dies in an accident, Northern Cape police open culpable homicide case". SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader. 26 March 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.


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