# Lydia Johnson > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Lydia_Johnson > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Lydia_Johnson.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Johnson > Source revision: 1350904601 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Lydia Johnson** is a South African politician who represented the [African National Congress](/source/African_National_Congress) (ANC) in the [KwaZulu-Natal Legislature](/source/KwaZulu-Natal_Legislature) until 2019. She was the legislature's [Speaker](/source/KwaZulu-Natal_Legislature#Officers) from 2013 to 2019 and previously served in the [KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council](/source/Executive_Council_of_KwaZulu-Natal) between 2006 and 2011: she was [KwaZulu-Natal](/source/KwaZulu-Natal)'s [Member of the Executive Council](/source/Member_of_the_Executive_Council) (MEC) for Public Works from 2006 to 2009 and MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development from 2009 to 2011. In June 2022, she was appointed board chairperson at [Ezemvelo](/source/Ezemvelo_KZN_Wildlife). ## Political career Johnson was a long-serving representative of the ANC in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.[1] In November 2006, she was appointed to the KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council by Premier [S'bu Ndebele](/source/S'bu_Ndebele); she succeeded [Blessed Gwala](/source/Blessed_Gwala) of the [Inkatha Freedom Party](/source/Inkatha_Freedom_Party) as MEC for Public Works.[2] She held that office until the [2009 general election](/source/2009_South_African_general_election),[3] in which she was re-elected to her legislative seat, ranked sixth on the ANC's provincial [party list](/source/Party_list).[4] After the election, she was reappointed to the Executive Council as MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development under newly elected Premier [Zweli Mkhize](/source/Zweli_Mkhize),**[5]** succeeding [Mtholephi Mthimkhulu](/source/Mtholephi_Mthimkhulu).[6] However, Mkhize fired her from the Executive Council in a reshuffle in November 2011.[7] Johnson subsequently served a stint as Chairperson of Committees in the provincial legislature. She left that office on 8 October 2013**,** when she was elected as Speaker in the legislature, succeeding [Peggy Nkonyeni](/source/Peggy_Nkonyeni), who had been appointed to the Executive Council.[1] In the [2014 general election](/source/2014_South_African_general_election), she was re-elected to her legislative seat, ranked 16th on the ANC's party list,[8] she continued to serve as Speaker until the [2019 general election](/source/2019_South_African_general_election). She was also a member of the [Provincial Executive Committee](/source/Provincial_Executive_Committees_of_the_African_National_Congress) of the ANC's KwaZulu-Natal branch for at least two terms, gaining election in 2012**[9]** and 2015.[10] In 2019, she did not seek re-election to the provincial legislature,[8] and she was succeeded as Speaker by [Ntobeko Boyce](/source/Ntobeko_Boyce).[11] In June 2022, [Ravi Pillay](/source/Ravi_Pillay), the incumbent MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, announced that Johnson had been appointed to chair the board of Ezemvelo.[12] ## References 1. ["Election of the new Speaker of the KZN Legislature"](https://www.gov.za/election-new-speaker-kzn-legislature). *South African Government*. 8 October 2013. Retrieved 2023-01-27. 1. ["Axed MEC Ngubane was 'excellent'"](https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2006-11-03-axed-mec-ngubane-was-excellent/) (in en-ZA). *Sowetan*. 3 November 2006. Retrieved 2023-02-01. 1. ["Political unity from the ANC"](https://mg.co.za/article/2009-02-27-political-unity-from-the-anc/) (in en-ZA). *The Mail & Guardian*. 2009-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-01. 1. ["KwaZulu-Natal MPLs elected April 22"](https://www.politicsweb.co.za/documents/kwazulunatal-mpls-elected-april-22). *Politicsweb*. 29 April 2009. Retrieved 2023-02-01. 1. ["Statement by Dr Zweli Mkhize at his inauguration as the Premier of the Province of KwaZulu-Natal"](https://www.gov.za/statement-dr-zweli-mkhize-his-inauguration-premier-province-kwazulu-natal). *South African Government*. 11 May 2009. Retrieved 2023-01-08. 1. ["Zuma and MPs lead Mthimkhulu tributes"](https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/zuma-and-mps-lead-mthimkhulu-tributes-1806077). *IOL*. 18 January 2015. Retrieved 2023-02-01. 1. ["Changes to the KZN cabinet – Zweli Mkhize"](https://www.politicsweb.co.za/politics/changes-to-the-kzn-cabinet--zweli-mkhize). *Politicsweb*. 15 November 2011. Retrieved 2023-01-09. 1. ["Lydia Johnson"](http://www.pa.org.za/person/l-johnson/). *People's Assembly*. Retrieved 2023-02-01. 1. Oliphant, Nathi (20 May 2012). ["KZN names its new executive committee"](https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/sunday-tribune-south-africa/20120520/281775626197443). *Sunday Tribune*. Retrieved 8 January 2023. – via PressReader. 1. ["Super Zuma says new ANC KZN leadership to hit the ground running"](https://www.politicsweb.co.za/politics/super-zuma-says-new-anc-kzn-leadership-to-hit-the-). *Politicsweb*. 10 November 2015. Retrieved 2023-01-27. 1. ["New KZN deputy speaker raises eyebrows due to former murder charge"](https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2019-05-22-new-kzn-deputy-speaker-raises-eyebrows-due-to-former-murder-charge/) (in en-ZA). *Business Day*. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 2023-02-01. 1. Mavuso, Sihle (6 June 2022). ["Appointment of new Ezemvelo board under fire over ANC links, little environmental skills"](https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/kwazulu-natal/appointment-of-new-ezemvelo-board-under-fire-over-anc-links-little-environmental-skills-4f166232-0fa1-440a-a81d-437688ef906f). *IOL*. Retrieved 2023-02-01. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lydia Johnson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Johnson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Johnson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.