Mkhuleko Hlengwa (born 12 June 1987) is a South African politician who is currently serving as the Deputy Minister of Transport since July 2024. He is the national spokesperson of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and has represented the party in the National Assembly since May 2012.
As a student Hlengwa followed his father into politics, ultimately becoming the national spokesperson of the IFP-affiliated South African Democratic Students' Movement (Sadesmo).[5] While he was in that position, in March 2011, he succeeded Pat Lebenya-Ntanzi as national chairperson of the party's youth wing, the IFP Youth Brigade. He was elected at the brigade's national conference in Ulundi after the most popular nominee, Thabo Xaba, withdrew from contention at the request of the IFP's national leadership.[5][6]
During his first six months as Youth Brigade chairperson, Hlengwa threatened to make eThekwini "ungovernable" in protest of Mayor James Nxumalo's decision to rename the Mangosuthu Highway to honour Griffiths Mxenge; until then, the road had been named after long-serving IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi.[7] Hlengwa remained a supporter of Buthelezi in later years,[8] and he considered Buthelezi a political mentor.[9]
Career in government
Ordinary Member of Parliament: 2012–2019
On 8 May 2012, Hlengwa was sworn in to an IFP seat in the National Assembly, the lower house of the South African Parliament. He filled the casual vacancy in the KwaZulu-Natal caucus that arose when Musa Zondi resigned.[10][11] Not yet 25, he succeeded Geordin Hill-Lewis as the youngest Member of Parliament.[3] Still the leader of the IFP Youth Brigade, he said that he viewed himself as the parliamentary representative of the youth.[3] He served on the Portfolio Committee on Economic Development and Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation.[3]
In July 2015, Hlengwa caused a minor controversy when he questioned Nelson Mandela's lionisation, reportedly arguing that "Mandela did not free me" during a youth summit in Ulundi.[16]Isolezwe quoted him as having said that Mandela "was not there during the struggle, he was serving 27 years in jail. Then if he was incarcerated, how can he free people?"[17] He suggested that it was Buthelezi who had freed Mandela.[17] His remarks were criticised on social media; Vusi Dube labelled them "stupid" and Jomo Sibiya lamented his "impoverished" thinking.[16]
Hlengwa was appointed as national spokesperson of the IFP in July 2018, a promotion which observers said signalled that he was being groomed for higher office.[18] His immediate task in the aftermath of his appointment was to front the IFP's campaign in the upcoming general election.[19]
Chairperson of SCOPA: 2019–2024
Hlengwa was elected to a third term in the National Assembly in the general election of May 2019, ranked third on the IFP's national party list.[20] In the aftermath of the election, on 21 June 2019, the IFP announced that it had been invited by the governing African National Congress (ANC) to take over the chair of SCOPA. The party nominated Hlengwa for the position due to his experience in the committee.[21][22] The Mail & Guardian reported that the ANC had extended the offer in exchange for the IFP's support in hung municipalities, especially the City of Johannesburg,[23] but Hlengwa denied this, saying that the IFP had accepted the offer for principled reasons and that "I am certainly not a lackey".[24]
At its first meeting on 2 July 2019, SCOPA formally elected Hlengwa, unopposed, as chairperson of the committee.[25] Later in July, the IFP Youth Brigade held its first national conference since March 2011;[26] Hlengwa did not stand for re-election as the brigade's chairperson, and he was succeeded in that office by Mthokozisi Nxumalo.[27]
Upon taking up the SCOPA chair, Hlengwa committed to enforcing accountability for state capture through Parliament's subpoena power, an alliance with the Auditor-General, refusal to "walk on eggshells", and possible legislative change.[24][28] He said that the committee would focus particularly on the state-owned enterprises, which he called government's "problem children".[24] However, his critics, such as activist Zackie Achmat, said that under Hlengwa's leadership SCOPA underperformed in investigating state capture.[29]
The most high-profile incident during Hlengwa's tenure was an April 2022 meeting between SCOPA and the board of Eskom, during which Hlengwa clashed with Busi Mavuso, a businesswoman and board member. After Mavuso criticised the ANC for its role in the ongoing energy crisis, Hlengwa told Mavuso to "behave yourself or excuse yourself from this meeting", and she promptly walked out.[30] The Sunday Times labelled Hlengwa its "mampara of the week",[31] and commentators accused Hlengwa of misogyny.[32] The opposition Democratic Alliance called for Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the Speaker of the National Assembly, to suspend Hlengwa and refer his conduct to the Powers and Privileges Committee for a full disciplinary inquiry; opposition chief whip Natasha Mazzone slammed Hlengwa's rudeness and said that, "Given his total partiality toward the ANC in his conduct, it appears that Hlengwa takes his instructions on Eskom matters from the ANC."[33] After meeting with the IFP's national leadership on the matter, Hlengwa released a statement apologising to Mavuso and acknowledging that "the situation could have been handled better".[34]
Hlengwa has one son.[9] Between 2017 and 2019, several anonymous Twitter accounts were created to accuse Hlengwa of physically assaulting an alleged former lover.[38]
