Ellen Molekane

Ellen Nnana Ntsitse Molekane (born 2 August 1953) was South Africa's Deputy Minister of State Security between May 2014 and May 2019. A member of the African National Congress (ANC), she was a civil servant in the Department of Defence until President Jacob Zuma appointed her to the national executive. She was also briefly a member of the National Assembly from July 2018 to May 2019.

Early life and education Molekane was born on 2 August 1953 in Soweto. The second of seven siblings, she matriculated at the Morris Isaacson High School, where she joined the South African Students' Movement. Her early political involvements partly inspired the anti-apartheid activism of her younger brother, Rapu Molekane.

In 1991, amid the negotiations to end apartheid, Molekane returned to South Africa to work at ANC headquarters at Shell House, Johannesburg. Shortly thereafter she joined the committee by co-option.

Deputy Minister of State Security: 2014–2019 On 25 May 2014, shortly after that month's general election, President Jacob Zuma announced Molekane's appointment as Deputy Minister of State Security. She remained in that office throughout the term of the Fifth Parliament.

Initially appointed from outside Parliament, Molekane was sworn in to the National Assembly on 30 July 2018, filling the casual vacancy that was created by Fikile Mbalula's resignation. She did not stand for re-election in the 2019 general election.

Publications