Falaza Mdaka

Falaza Philemon Mdaka is a South African politician who has represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the Limpopo Provincial Legislature since 2014. He was formerly the Executive Mayor of Vhembe District Municipality from 2007 to 2011 and served as Regional Chairperson of the ANC's Vhembe branch for two terms until 2012.

Local political career Local newspaper Die Zoutpansberger reported that Mdaka was a member of Ximoko before joining the ANC, but Mdaka denied this. He served two terms as Regional Chairperson of the ANC's regional branch in Vhembe: he was in that office by 2007, and in 2009 he comfortably won re-election despite a challenge to his incumbency by Moses Tseli. Simultaneously, he was the Executive Mayor of Vhembe District Municipality from 2007 until 2011.

In April 2011, the Sowetan reported that the ANC would not nominate Mdaka for a second term as mayor after the local elections to be held in May that year. According to the newspaper, the provincial leadership of the party intended to replace Mdaka with a candidate more strongly aligned to Cassel Mathale, then the ANC's Provincial Chairperson in Limpopo, and Julius Malema, then the President of the ANC Youth League. Mdaka was perceived as sympathetic to Malema's rival, Lehlogonolo Masoga. though he remained a local councillor in Vhembe. Phaahla's supporters subsequently alleged that Mathale had won by dint of electoral irregularities at the conference; the Mail & Guardian described Mdaka, in his capacity as Vhembe Regional Chairperson, as the "main complainant". However, in early 2012, Mdaka distanced himself from the matter, reportedly saying that he had signed his name to the complaint without reading it first. He was also appointed Majority Chief Whip in the legislature. In 2018, Mdaka launched an abortive campaign to oust Stan Mathabatha, then the Premier of Limpopo, from his position as ANC Provincial Chairperson in Limpopo; he withdrew from the race, but was elected to a four-year term as an ordinary member of the ANC Provincial Executive Committee. In the 2019 general election, Mdaka was re-elected to his legislative seat, ranked 23rd on the ANC's party list; He was re-elected to the ANC Provincial Executive Committee in 2022.