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Karabo Khakhau

Karabo Khakhau
MP
National Spokesperson of the Democratic Alliance
Incumbent
Assumed office
11 July 2024
Serving with Willie Aucamp
LeaderJohn Steenhuisen
Preceded bySolly Malatsi
Werner Horn
Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
Incumbent
Assumed office
16 November 2022
Preceded byPatricia Kopane
ConstituencyNational List
Member of the Free State Provincial Legislature
In office
22 May 2019 – 15 November 2022
Personal details
Born
Karabo Lerato Khakhau

Welkom
NationalitySouth African
Political partyDemocratic Alliance
EducationWelkom-Gimnasium University of Cape Town University of the Witwatersrand
ProfessionPolitician

Karabo Lerato Khakhau is a South African politician and a Member of the South African National Assembly for the Democratic Alliance since November 2022. Prior to this, she served as a DA Member of the Free State Provincial Legislature from May 2019 until November 2022. Aged 21 years at the time of her election to the Provincial Legislature, she became the youngest ever Member of Provincial Legislature in South Africa. Khakhau is a former President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Cape Town (UCT) for the council term 2017/18. In this election she received the highest number of votes amongst all candidates in the institution.

Early life and education

Khakhau hails from Welkom in the Free State. She matriculated from Welkom-Gimnasiumin 2015.[1] She thereafter studied towards a Bachelor of Social Science Degree where she majored in Politics & Governance, Sociology, and Social Development at the University of Cape Town. She, in 2019, put her academic career on pause and dedicated her time towards public service in the Free State Legislature. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Advanced Governance and Public Leadership from the University of the Witwatersrand.[2]

Political career

Khakhau joined the Democratic Alliance in 2016. As a student activist she served as the Democratic Alliance Students Organisation (DASO) Branch Chairperson of the University of Cape Town. She was also elected the DASO Western Cape Provincial Interim Chairperson.[1] In October 2017, the DA's student organisation won a majority of nine out of the fifteen seats on the student representative council of the University of Cape Town. She received the highest students votes in this election and was elected president of the SRC not so long after.[3]

After the provincial election that was held on 8 May 2019, Khakhau was nominated to the Free State Provincial Legislature as the party's support in the province grew.[4] She was sworn in as a member of the legislature on 22 May 2019. Consequently, she became the youngest ever member, since she was only 21 when she assumed office.[5]

On 15 November 2022, Khakhau resigned from the Free State Legislature to take up the former DA provincial leader in the Free State, Patricia Kopane's seat in the National Assembly. She was sworn in as a Member of Parliament on 16 November.[6] The DA's caucus leader in the Dihlabeng Municipality, Jafta Mokoena, replaced Khaukau in the Provincial Legislature.[7]

On 21 April 2023, Khakhau became the Shadow Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.[8]

Khakhau was elected to a full term in Parliament in the 2024 general election.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b Madisa, Kgothatso (15 June 2019). "Equality drives Karabo Khakhau". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  2. ^ Maputla, Tswelopele (23 May 2019). "#BlackGirlMagic: These female parliamentarians are only in their 20s". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  3. ^ Van Damme, Phumzile. "DASO UCT wins SRC election". Democratic Alliance. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  4. ^ Ngatane, Nthakoana (21 May 2019). "Meet the Free State's youngest MPL, Karabo Khakhau". Johannesburg. EWN. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Youngest member of legislature sworn in". Bloemfontein Courant. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  6. ^ @Siviwe_G (16 November 2022). "The Speaker presided over the swearing in of our new MPs. It's pretty special sharing this moment with them as their Chief Whip. So easy to become jaded in politics. Seeing MPs take their oath of office with sincerity; reminded me why we do what we do - in service of others" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. ^ "The Democratic Alliance welcomes Jafta Mokoena as a member of the Free State Legislature". Democratic Alliance - Free State. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Mathew Cuthbert replaces Gwen Ngwenya as DA's head of policy". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  9. ^ "The 400 MPs elected to the National Assembly - IEC - DOCUMENTS | Politicsweb". www.politicsweb.co.za. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
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