Zamani Saul


Zamani Saul is a South African politician who is the 5th Premier of the Northern Cape and a Member of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature. He has also been serving as the Provincial Chairperson of the African National Congress since his election on 12 May 2017. He previously served as the Provincial Secretary and the Deputy Provincial Secretary of the party.

Life and education

Zamani Saul completed his Grade 12 at Umso High School in Colesberg. He obtained a master's degree in Development Studies from the University of the Free State and a Master of Laws degree from the University of the Western Cape. He, later on, also achieved a Doctorate of Laws degree in Public Law and Jurisprudence from the same university. Saul is currently studying towards a Doctorate of Philosophy in Multi-Disciplinary Studies through the University of South Africa. He is married to Tapsy Saul, and they have children together. Their one son matriculated in 2018.

Political career

He served as the municipal manager of the Pixley ka Seme District Municipality from 2000 to 2008.
Saul served as ANC Deputy Provincial Secretary from 2004 until his election as Provincial Secretary in 2008. He won re-election to a second term as Provincial Secretary in 2012.
On 12 May 2017, Saul was elected unopposed as the Provincial Chairperson of the Northern Cape African National Congress branch after Premier Sylvia Lucas withdrew her nomination for the position. Saul succeeded John Block who resigned from the position in October 2015. Deshi Ngxanga succeeded Saul as Provincial Secretary.
Saul is seen as someone who is aligned with the Ramaphosa faction of the African National Congress, as he endorsed Cyril Ramaphosa to become ANC President in 2017.
On 8 May 2019, the ANC retained their majority in the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature. Saul was selected as the party's premier candidate on 13 May 2019. He assumed the office on 22 May 2019. In his first few months, he pledged to cut what he called "wastage" from the Northern Cape government; citing as Premier he would get a bowl of fresh fruit every morning and that his car would be replaced after 120,000km while ambulances in the province would run at 952,000+km.