6 August 2021

The ANC Parliamentary Caucus Study Group on Defence and Military Veterans welcomes the decision by the President to reshuffle cabinet on 5 August 2021. As the ANC Study Group, we welcome and congratulate the newly appointed Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Cde Mama Thandi Modise and we are confident that she will be bringing experience into the Study Group.

In 1976, Mama Thandi Modise went to join the Military Wing of the African National Congress Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) and she received military training in Angola and at the time, few women were part of the trainees in the MK Camps. She received political education and later became a political commissar, she was one of the first women to have a senior rank in the MK and later she became a commander. She served as a chairperson of the Portfolio Committee in the Defence and Joint Standing Committee on Defence between 1998 and 2004.

Mama Thandi Modise was appointed to serve as Premier of North West Province and later she was speaker of Parliament and that brings a wealth of knowledge in the public service and legislature. Mama Thandi Modise brings a lot of experience, knowledge and wisdom which will be instrumental and play a vital role in taking this department forward and fully implement the mandate of the African National Congress and serve the people of the republic of South Africa.

We would like to bid farewell to Mama Nosiviwe Mapisa- Nqakula and thank her for her contribution to both the department and the Study Group. We have indeed learnt a lot from her humble leadership and we wish her all best in her endeavour.

Issued by the Whip of the Study Group on Defence and Military Veterans, Cde Thabo Mmutle

Enquiries:

Thabo Mmutle
Whip of the Study Group on Defence and Military Veterans
082 525 4223

Nomfanelo Kota
Acting Caucus Spokesperson
067 415 1089
Email: n.kota@parliament.gov.za
nomfanelok17@yahoo.com