Ntombazana Botha

Ntombazana Gertrude Winifred Botha (21 July 1943 – 8 November 2025) was a South African politician who served as Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture from 2004 to 2009 and before that as Deputy Minister of Provincial and Local Government from 2001 to 2004. She represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly from 1997 until 2009, when she retired from frontline politics. During the 1980s, she was involved in community organising in the anti-apartheid struggle and was the founding secretary of the United Democratic Front in East London.

Early life and activism Botha was born on 21 July 1943. Until 1986, she did bookkeeping, paralegal, and other administrative work for a range of private companies. During that time, she joined the South African Allied Workers' Union in 1980 and the United Women's Organisations in 1981. She served as secretary of that branch of the UDF until 1984 and then served as treasurer of the UDF in the Border Region from 1985 to 1986. From 30 May 2001 to 28 April 2004, she served as Deputy Minister of Provincial and Local Government in the government of President Thabo Mbeki. In that capacity she deputised Sydney Mufamadi, and the Mail & Guardian said that she showed "strong people skills". When he appointed his second-term cabinet after the election, Mbeki named her as Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, under Minister Pallo Jordan. She served in that portfolio until the 2009 general election, in which she did not seek re-election to the National Assembly.