Mr Abram Mudau (ANC)

What is your political background? I was involved in politics where I grew up in Venda. There was no water in the village I grew up in and we were challenging the National Party to improve the conditions of the people in the area. I then started to organise the youth in the church so that we can have water in Mukondeni in Limpopo. I then went to Johannesburg in 1986 and then went to North West in 1988. This is where I started to be fully involved in politics. I started to organise the youth in North West, Mathibestad to form the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) in the area in 1989 and in 1990 I launched the interim structure of SANCO in the area. It was only in 1992 when we launched the branch of the ANC in North West that my passion for politics really started to grow. I recruited people in my village to join the ANC and I am the founder of the ANC in Mathibestad.

I refused to be the chairperson when I was the member of the ANC branch in Mathibestad as I like to be on the ground and organising people. I was elected as the Councillor of the Eastern District in North West in 2000. I then started to work as a community liaison officer in 2000 until 2003. In 2003, I became a manager in the Office of the Speaker until 2014. In 2014 I was elected to come to the National Assembly.

What does your job as an MP entail? I serve in the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative and Traditional Affairs and we are responsible for making laws and looking at challenges in municipalities and with traditional leaders. We are currently dealing with Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill. I also have a responsibility of looking after my constituency and address all their challenges in Parliament in an attempt to find solutions.

What has been your impression of the Fifth Parliament so far? There are more challenges in the Fifth Parliament for the ruling party, but people must understand that we have not yet arrived at what we want as a ruling party for the country at large. There is still the issue of racism and people should understand that Mr Mandela was fighting for the eradication of racism and maintaining unity. The Fifth Parliament is also not efficient in dealing with many problems facing our country and this is something that we would need to deal with.

Where is your constituency? What has been most interesting about your constituency work so far? My constituency was initially in Tswaing, North West when I came to Parliament and then I was moved again from Ventersdorp to Madibeng in North West in November 2016. I am proud of what I have done in my community because when I arrived in Mathibestad, there was no active ANC branch. I am also a pastor and so I was able to develop the youth by being involved in choirs and drama. I am currently involved in helping the youth to become entrepreneurs as there are about five young people that I have given them the money to go and register to become successful entrepreneurs.

What are you passionate about? This applies both in a political/professional and personal arena? I am passionate about Christianity as I am also a priest and I like to go to church on Sundays. In politics, I strongly believe we are one although we belong in different political parties and this is especially the case in South Africa. I am passionate about seeing South Africa united, because united people can easily achieve the common goal.

What is your message to South Africans? South Africans must go out and ensure that the ANC wins the 2019 elections in 2019.

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