Babalo Madikizela


Babalo Madikizela is a South African urban planner and politician serving as the Eastern Cape MEC for Public Works since May 2019 and a Member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature since November 2018. Madikizela has been the provincial treasurer of the African National Congress since October 2017.

Early life and education

Madikizela was born on in Bizana in the previous Cape Province, which became the Eastern Cape in 1994. He attended St John's College where he matriculated. He obtained a national diploma in town and regional planning from ML Sultan Technikon now the Durban University of Technology.

Career

Madikizela started his career as a planner for the Municipal Mentoring Programme and later found employment as a housing manager at the Ingquza Hill Local Municipality. He then worked for a Wimpy restaurant in Mthatha and soon worked in the construction industry.
Madikizela joined the African National Congress Youth League at a young age. He served on the youth league's regional and provincial structures. He proceeded to serve on an ANC regional structure as an additional member and was later elected treasurer.
On 1 October 2017, Madikizela was elected provincial treasurer of the ANC. He was deployed to the provincial legislature in November 2018 and took office as an MPL on 13 November. Premier Phumulo Masualle reshuffled his Executive Council on 18 November and appointed Madikizela as the MEC for Human Settlements. He assumed the office on 21 November.
Following the May 2019 general election, premier Oscar Mabuyane designated Madikizela to the office of MEC for Public Works. He currently serves in the position. Upon his swearing-in, he availed himself for a lifestyle audit as he is accused of fraud and corruption by businessman Lonwabo Bam. Madikizela denies the allegations.