Nompendulo Thobile Mkhatshwa

Nompendulo Thobile Mkhatshwa (born 20 August 1993) is a South African politician, former student leader and former #FeesMustFall activist who served as a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa for the African National Congress (ANC).

In August 2021 she was elected chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology.

Early life and education Mkhatshwa was born on 20 August 1993. She has two younger sisters, Sthembiso and Nanziwe. In 2015, she graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in geography. She is currently enrolled for a post-graduate certificate in education from the University of South Africa.

Political career Mkhatshwa became involved in student politics while a student at the University of the Witwatersrand. In 2013, she was elected as the deputy chairperson of the South African Students Congress (SASCO) branch at Wits University. The following year, she was elected chairperson of the SASCO branch. In October 2015, she and outgoing SRC president, Shaeera Kalla, led a march to the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters in Johannesburg against fee increases. The day after the Luthuli House march, 20 000 students marched on the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Hours later, president Jacob Zuma announced that there would not be a fee increase for 2016. She was one of the youngest ANC MPs elected.

Mkhatshwa was a member of the National Assembly's Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology. She was also whip of the ANC's Study Group on Higher Education, Science and Technology.

On 26 August 2021 Mkhashwa was announced as the ANC's candidate to replace Philly Mapulane as Chair of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology. She was elected to the role on 31 August.

Mkhatshwa was ranked 152nd on the ANC's national list for the 2024 general election which was too low to secure re-election.