Thizwilondi Mabudafhasi

Rejoice Thizwilondi Mabudafhasi (born 23 May 1943) is a South African politician who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly from 1994 until her resignation in April 2017. She was appointed as South Africa's Ambassador to Zimbabwe in 2021.

Mabudafhasi previously served as Deputy Minister for Environmental Affairs and Tourism from 1999 to 2009 under President Thabo Mbeki and then, under President Jacob Zuma, as Deputy Minister for Water and Environmental Affairs from 2009 to 2014 and as Deputy Minister for Arts and Culture from 2014 to 2017. She resigned from Parliament after Zuma fired her from the latter position in 2017. A former trade unionist and anti-apartheid activist, she also served on the ANC's National Executive Committee between 2007 and 2022.

Early life and career Mabudafhasi was born on 23 May 1943. She served a brief stint as a teacher at Tshilidzi School in Soweto from 1962 to 1963 before becoming a librarian at the University of the North in 1965. While working at the university, she was active in the anti-apartheid movement, including through the United Democratic Front and Federation of Transvaal Women. From 1992 to 1994, she also served as national treasurer of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union, an affiliate of the ANC-allied Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).

Career in government Mabudafhasi left the University of North after the 1994 general election, With Susan Shabangu and Elizabeth Thabethe, she was one of three women who represented COSATU on the ANC's list of candidates.

Environmental Affairs and Tourism: 1999–2009 After her re-election to Parliament in the 1999 general election, President Thabo Mbeki appointed Mabudafhasi as Deputy Minister for Environmental Affairs and Tourism. She retained that office from June 1999 until May 2009, throughout Mbeki's tenure and the brief term of his successor, Kgalema Motlanthe;

Water and Environmental Affairs: 2009–2014 After the 2009 general election, newly elected President Jacob Zuma reconfigured the executive and Mabudafhasi was appointed Deputy Minister for Water and Environmental Affairs under Minister Buyelwa Sonjica (later replaced by Edna Molewa).

Arts and Culture: 2014–2017 In the 2014 general election, Mabudafhasi was re-elected to her final term in Parliament, ranked 44th on the ANC's national party list. After the election, Zuma moved her from the Water and Environmental Affairs portfolio, appointing her Deputy Minister for Arts and Culture under Minister Nathi Mthethwa. However, less than three years later, Zuma fired her in a cabinet reshuffle announced in late March 2017. Shortly afterwards, she announced that she would also resign as an ordinary Member of Parliament, effective from 30 April 2017. ''''' In 2021, she was appointed South African Ambassador to Zimbabwe by Zuma's successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa. She did not stand for re-election to the ANC National Executive at the 55th National Conference in December 2022.