Sophie Maine

Makatse Sophia Maine (15 January 1948 – 18 August 2020) was a South African politician from the North West. She represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly from 1994 to 2009 and was a former chairperson of the ANC Women's League in the Western Transvaal.

Early life and activism Maine was born on 15 January 1948. She rose to prominence through the ANC Women's League in present-day North West Province and served as inaugural chairperson of the league's branch in Ipelegeng in Schweizer-Reneke after the league was relaunched in 1990. She was later elected as regional chairperson of the league in the broader Western Transvaal.

Legislative career: 1994–2009 In South Africa's first post-apartheid elections in 1994, Maine was elected to represent the ANC in the National Assembly, the lower house of the new South African Parliament. She served three terms, gaining re-election in 1999 and served the North West constituency. During her third term, she was appointed as the ANC's whip in the Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Forestry.

Travelgate conviction In August 2004, the Scorpions named Maine as one of several politicians who was under investigation in connection with the Travelgate scandal, which involved the widespread abuse of parliamentary air-travel vouchers. She faced criminal charges and in October 2006 accepted a plea deal, in terms of which she pled guilty to a single count of fraud in relation to R206,000 in service benefits. She was sentenced to pay a fine of R100,000, in lieu of serving five years' imprisonment, and was additionally handed a mandatory five-year prison sentence suspended conditionally for five years.''' In August 2007, the ANC announced that she had been demoted from her position as a committee whip. She left Parliament after the next general election in 2009.

Death Maine died on 18 August 2020 after a short illness. The provincial government of the North West granted her a special provincial official funeral.