Get to Know Sanele Sethembeni Zondo

What is your political background? How did you come to join your political party and become an MP?

Since I was born, I have been a member of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and served in the Mphakathini and Hluhluwe IFP branches under the Big Five municipality, which later became the Big Five Hlabisa Municipality. I also served as a Secretary in the constituency of the IFP Brigade and as a publicity Secretary in the uMkhanyakude IFP Brigade.

I later took on the role of Deputy Chairperson in the Constituency Office of the IFP Brigade. Subsequently, I served as the Chairperson of the IFP Brigade at a national level. Throughout this journey, I became a Councillor in Ward 2 of the Big Five Hlabisa Municipality, Hluhluwe Town in uMkhanyakude, KwaZulu-Natal. I remained in this position and completed the full term from 2016 to 2021. After concluding this term, I became a Member of Parliament from February 2022 until the end of the 2024 term, returning as an MP in the Seventh Administration.

What does your job as an MP entail? And what impact do you hope to have?

First, prior to entering politics, I served as an official at False Bay Big Five Municipality for three years. During this time, I worked closely with the community, not because I aspired to be a Councillor or a Politician, but due to the love I had for my people and the community I served. I also have ongoing programmes outside of my political career that are rooted in education. These include providing assistance with services from early childhood development, aiding high school students with their registrations to tertiary institutions, and facilitating visits by tertiary institutions to high schools to assist students with various programmes and access to those institutions.

Serving as an MP has provided an opportunity to open many doors to best serve and support my community. I have initiatives like Back2School, which takes children from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to access institutions of higher learning, helping to combat poverty and providing people with access to jobs. We are touching lives. Being an MP enables one to serve their communities effectively while exploring new opportunities to uplift the community.

Additionally, I organise soccer tournaments and assist in providing funding and other support to local teams in my community. As a former soccer player, I am passionate about sports and am currently funding a soccer tournament taking place in December. I named the tournament in honour of my late brother, who sadly passed away in a car accident in 2015. He was a Coach for one of the local teams, and we are holding this tournament to honour his legacy. I also contribute funding to my zone for the SAFA association to uplift the community.

What are your thoughts on the Government of National Unity for the Seventh Parliament?

The GNU is a good opportunity for South Africans to have an accountable government. For example, the recent scenario where the African National Congress wanted to pass the budget with an increase of 2% in Value Added Tax. Due to the GNU, this budget could not be passed – the budget could not be passed with such an increase as it would have a severe economic impact on South Africans, especially the poor. South Africans are already struggling and increasing the VAT or any form of tax would exacerbate that.

The GNU will ensure that the laws, decisions of Parliament and of the government as well as policies, are in South Africa’s best interest. The GNU provides an opportunity to question government’s decisions that would have an adverse impact on the country. The GNU is in the best interest of South Africans. The GNU dispels the arrogance of numbers and forces us to work together.

What can be done to get citizens more interested and involved in Parliament?

The GNU is a good tool for the parties to listen to the people. What we would eventually present to Parliament will be the people’s voice. The mentality that South African voters have now, is better for the country. The mentality has shifted and we hope that people will utilize the tools available to them to make their democracy work.

Parties are out on the ground to ensure that the people can feel their presence even though they are not campaigning for votes. The GNU has pushed political parties to get out on the ground. People will remove you if, as a party, you do not listen to them.

Which Constituency Office have you been assigned to? Can you give examples of the constituency work you engaged in or plan to do?

I manage the national office of the IFP, which involves working all over South Africa. In a recent programme, we provided back-to-school essentials such as school shoes, stationery, and sanitary pads to underprivileged students in rural areas. Our efforts extend across KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Free State, and Mpumalanga. I have also been engaging with businesspeople to enhance the programme’s reach, especially in rural areas where this kind of service delivery is most needed.

I want people to feel that, as MPs, they are not in their positions solely to earn a salary but to ensure that South Africans are served in the best possible way. They are currently in the process of establishing school debates to encourage children to develop a love for both school and debate.

English is the medium of communication, and we must ensure that the gaps between children in rural areas and those in multi-racial schools are bridged, particularly regarding communication skills. Therefore, we need to provide platforms that encourage them to challenge one another while building their confidence in communication. Those who excel would be paired with peers from multi-racial schools, where language barriers don't exist. I am preparing to award them for their participation, giving them something to boast about when they return to their schools. This approach is believed to make them more eager to engage in these programmes.

What will you and your party be focusing on during your term? (Will you introduce legislation, will your oversight focus on any specific area, etc.)

As part of the Government of National Unity, the IFP is now in a position where it may influence legislation as part of the government. We will continue to play an oversight role in ensuring that the money disbursed to government departments delivers what South Africans want, and spend on services for South Africans that have value for money. Thus, as a party in the GNU, they ensure they influence legislation and influence the departments that they are heading to best serve the interests of South Africans.

What are you passionate about?

My passion is to serve my people. My father was also the kind of person who served his people, he was a man of the people who helped a lot of people both personally and professionally. He was not a politician. I hope I take after him although I added the political aspect. Through his initiatives he has assisted people in various aspects of life – it may have been through sports, education, professional or personal. The ultimate objective is to help people.

I want to see a better tomorrow. We must strive to have a better tomorrow and allow today to influence a better tomorrow. Giving people food parcels is commendable, but that is not the ultimate goal, the objective is to get people to take care of themselves. We have been engaged in programmes where we have built people's houses. This is my drive – helping another person, gets me a peaceful sleep at night.

What is your message to South Africa?

South Africa is a developing country, we need to focus on education; educate our people, and ensure they participate in economic development. We must come out of the corners, we must stop fighting one another, we must stop being jealous of each other, and we must stay away from things that do not benefit us or make us better people in the near future.

I encourage all youth to ensure that they are part of the government, support the government and occupy every space available before us. We need to participate in everything with sports, politics, the economy, the government or to be Councillors, let us be part of the future of this country to ensure that we own the future of this country.

To read more about Mr Zondo, visit his profile here.