Mandisa Mashego


Mandisa Sibongile Mashego is a South African politician and feminist. A member of the Economic Freedom Fighters, she served as the party's provincial chairperson in Gauteng from 2018 to 2020. She was also a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature from 2014 to 2020.

Early life

Mashego was born in King William's Town, Cape Province, to a black mother and a white father. She grew up in the Mayfern township of Nelspruit. She obtained a B-Tech in Public Relations from the Durban University of Technology.

Political career

Mashego joined the African National Congress while still a student. She left the ANC in 2012 and soon joined the EFF. She was elected a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in 2014 and the following year, she was appointed acting provincial chairperson of the EFF following the resignation of Zorro Boshielo. Mashego was elected provincial chairperson for a full term in 2018. She became the party's second elected female provincial chairperson.

Political views

Mashego describes herself as a feminist and an opponent of patriarchy. She said in an interview with the Mail & Guardian that the replacement of the party's first female provincial chairperson, Betty Diale, "saddened" her.
In April 2020, Mashego announced that she supports the reintroduction of the death penalty in South Africa.

Tensions with Julius Malema

In December 2019 at the EFF's national elective conference, Mashego opposed Marshall Dlamini for the post of Secretary-General. Her opposition to Dlamini caused tensions between her and party leader Julius Malema. Malema later suggested in a tweet, which caused speculation, that Mashego was planning on defecting to former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba's party.
In February 2020, the Sunday World newspaper reported that Mashego had resigned as provincial chairperson and a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. The EFF disputed this claim and Mashego later denied that she had resigned.
On 31 March 2020, Mashego resigned as EFF provincial chairperson and also from the provincial legislature. Deputy chairperson Itani Mukwevho was named her successor. She will, however, remain an EFF member.

Personal life

Mashego has not been married and has one daughter.