Last Wednesday the world witnessed 400 members of South Africa’s highest House, the National Assembly sworn in the 6th parliament, which for the first time featured a member who directly comes from Lephalale.
The name Dipuo Moatshe is not new to those who follow politics and especially local ANC politics.
Having joined the ANC in 1990 she tells Ntshebele News that she became an active member in 1991.
Her decision to join the ANC was influenced by a protest that was notoriously called ‘no books no school’.
“I was later on recruited by a Cadre David Sehlabane in the movement and shortly I became part of the SACP and ANCWL, where I became the Branch Executive Committee member in the same year until 2013.
Before my final year as a BEC member I was elected as the Regional Secretary of the ANCWL in 2012 and to this day, I still execute my responsibilities as bestowed by my political movement”, said Moatshe.
Moatshe’s political journey includes being part of the Regional Executive Committee in the Waterberg Region and 10 years of service as a Councillor and later a Proportional Councillor for Ward 12 which covers Seleka as well as a District Executive Committee member of Govan Mbeki.
Her tenure as an ANC Councillor dates back to 2006 where her portfolio was Water and Sanitation under the leadership of the late Rosina Mogotlane, who was the Mayor of Lephalale Municipality at that time.
She would later serve another 5 years in Infrastructure Cluster before elected as PR Councillor under Mayor Jack Maeko, whom she says she has come a long way with in politics.
Another portfolio she assumed responsibilities in was Planning and Economic Development Cluster which she was the Chairperson.
A clearly jubilant Moatshe had this to say to the people of Lephalale; “I would like to share with you just how privileged and honoured I am to be an MP coming from this area.
Being the first MP from Lephalale and in this democratic dispension gives me so much strength and I am thankful the people of Lephalale have entrusted me with such great responsibility.
I always fight for what I believe in until something happens and that’s what keeps politics alive”,added Moatshe.
The new journey is likely to present challenges as one would often have to adjust to the set up and pace of fellow parliamentarians who are vicious at times.
This however doesn’t seem to bother Moatshe, who says she has never underestimated herself as she believes there is nothing wrong with being ambitious.
She describes leadership as a weapon that needs communication and transparency.
In her view 90% of leadership is the ability to communicate something that can be understood by people and appease them.
Lately there has been a lot of brouhaha and a feeling of dissapointment with the imbalanced women representation in leadership of respective political parties and ultimately parliament.
Moatshe believs women are capable to lead in this modern era, where there is still a general under-representation in many other countries.
“We have seen women experience inadequate opportunities in social participation, especially in striving for political rights and power in Government as well as other Institutions.
This historical tendency still persists even though women are increasingly being politically elected to be heads of strategic departments and roles in our Government.”; she said.
It will be a matter of time before the President announces new Ministers and parliament will officially start, where Dipuo Moatshe will be seen in action representing the majority of South Africans.