Dickson Mkono

Dickson Gcinikhaya Mkono (born 4 November 1960) is a South African politician from the Eastern Cape. He served in the National Assembly from 2001 to 2004 and in the National Council of Provinces from 2004 to 2009. He was a member of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) until March 2003, when he crossed the floor to the African National Congress (ANC).

Legislative career

National Assembly: 2001–2004 Mkono joined the National Assembly on 26 March 2001, when he was nominated by the UDM to fill in for the casual vacancy arising from Ndaba Mtirara's resignation. He was a member of the Eastern Cape caucus. In a press statement, Mkono said that the UDM was "neither united nor democratic", claimed that the party was "losing membership like a tree shedding its leaves", and was highly critical of party leader Bantu Holomisa.

National Council of Provinces: 2004–2009 In the next general election in 2004, Mkono was elected to represent the ANC in the National Council of Provinces, where he was a permanent delegate for the Eastern Cape.