Joe McGluwa


Joseph Job "Joe" McGluwa is a South African politician currently serving as the Provincial Leader of the Democratic Alliance in the North West province, elected in 2015. He has also been serving as a Member of the National Assembly since 16 August 2018. He previously held the post from 2009 to 2015. McGluwa served as a Member of the North West Provincial Legislature from 2015 to 2018.
Before becoming a member of the Democratic Alliance, he was a member of the now-defunct Independent Democrats. He joined the Democratic Alliance when the Independent Democrats amalgamated with the party. He was the DA's North West Premier candidate for the 2019 elections.

Early life and education

Born one of five children, McGluwa grew up in the Alabama suburb of Klerksdorp. He matriculated from the Alabama Senior Secondary School. He proceeded to study and achieved a certificate in Governance and Public Leadership from the University of South Africa. He obtained an Advanced Certificate in Public Administration and Leadership from the University of the Witwatersrand. He also obtained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management from the same university.

Political career

At the age of 24, McGluwa was elected a Matlosana Municipality councillor. He was a member of the Independent Democrats since the party's inception and served as the national organiser of the party.
In 2009, McGluwa was elected to the National Assembly of South Africa. In 2010, the Independent Democrats announced its merger with the Democratic Alliance. McGluwa was subsequently given dual party membership. McGluwa was appointed Shadow Minister in the Presidency in 2012 by Democratic Alliance Parliamentary Leader Lindiwe Mazibuko. Also in 2012, he was appointed Parliamentary Leader of the Independent Democrats. After the 2014 elections, he fully became a member of the Democratic Alliance. On 5 June 2014, he was appointed Shadow Minister of Public Service and Administration.
McGluwa has since held various Democratic Alliance leadership positions. He is currently head of the party's Mahikeng, Tswaiing and Ratlou constituency. He is also a member of the party's Federal Council. He was previously Deputy Provincial Leader of the party in the North West province, prior to being elected Provincial Leader in May 2015.
He resigned as a Member of the National Assembly in November 2015 and was subsequently sworn in as a Member of the North West Provincial Legislature. In August 2018, McGluwa resigned as a Member of the North West Provincial Legislature and returned to the National Assembly. He was sworn in on 16 August 2018.
In September 2018, he was announced as the DA's North West Premier candidate. Following the May 2019 election, the Democratic Alliance's support in the North West dropped, but the party did manage to retain its four seats in the provincial legislature. On 5 June 2019, McGluwa was named the Shadow Minister of Home Affairs.

Personal life

McGluwa is married to Nadia McMaster. They have two daughters. McGluwa's brother, Harold, is a Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature.
In 2011, it was reported that the then-Leader of the Independent Democrats, Patricia de Lille, instructed the ID caucus in the Theewaterskloof Local Municipality to appoint McMaster as an accountant. McMaster served in the position for a short period and resigned in 2009, two years prior to the allegation being made public.