Pemmy Majodina


Pemmy Castelina Pamela Majodina is a South African politician serving as a Member of the National Assembly since 2019. A member of the African National Congress, she is the party's chief whip in the assembly. She was formerly a Member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature between 2004 and 2019 and a Member of the provincial Executive Council for five different portfolios from 2008 to 2019, respectively. Majodina was a Delegate of the National Council of Provinces from 1994 to 2004.

Early life and education

Majodina was born on 24 December 1968 in Sterkspruit, Cape Province. She studied to become an educator.

Political career

Majodina served on the regional executives, provincial executives and national executives of the South African Student Congress, the African National Congress Youth League, the African National Congress Women's League, the South African Communist Party and the African National Congress. She was also an underground operative of uMkhonto we Sizwe.
Following the April 1994 election, Majodina became a delegate of the Senate. She served two terms in the NCOP until her election to the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature in the June 2004 election. She was appointed the Chairperson of Roads and Public Works Portfolio Committee after her swearing-in. Newly-elected Premier Mbulelo Sogoni appointed her as the Member of the Executive Council for Health in August 2008.
After the April 2009 election, Noxolo Kiviet became Premier and made her the MEC for Roads and Public Works. Kiviet reshuffled her executive in November 2010 and moved Majodina to the Social Development and Special Programmes portfolio. Phumulo Masualle was elected Premier after the May 2014 election and he appointed her as the MEC for Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture. She held the position until Masualle reshuffled his cabinet in May 2018 and Majodina was appointed MEC for Public Works.
Subsequent to the May 2019 election, Majodina was selected to return to Parliament as a Member of the National Assembly. The National Executive Committee of the African National Congress named her the party's chief whip in the National Assembly and she assumed the position upon her inauguration. She is the first female to hold the post and Doris Dlakude deputises her.

Awards and accolades

Majodina was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in community development from the Arlington University of Australia in 2010. The next year, the Methodist Church of Southern Africa gave her their Reverend Baartman Award. In 2015, Reverend Jesse Jackson awarded her with a Global Humanitarian Award.

Incidents

In April 2015, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela recommended that Masualle take disciplinary steps against Majodina after an investigation found that funds were misappropriated towards her during a visit to the United States in September 2012. She later paid back the funds.

Personal life

Majodina has nine children, of which seven are adopted and two are biological. She is estranged from her husband. Majodina is a Christian.